People in Arizona who decide to divorce may struggle more with reaching a child custody agreement than with other important parts of the end of a marriage, including negotiating property division and spousal support. Many parents fear that they will lose their close connection with their children after a divorce and are troubled by their thoughts of co-parenting with their former spouse. However, parents know that handling the divorce sensitively is important to protect their kids’ emotional well-being. There are a number of successful parenting schedules that people can use to share custody after the divorce is finalized.
Many people prefer joint custody as close to 50/50 as possible, depending on each parent’s employment schedule and lifestyle. Some families may be better suited to one parent having primary custody and the other having an extensive visitation schedule. Each family can find the option that works best for their lives; the most important element is typically retaining the parent-child bond, but this can take place in different ways. Families with 50/50 custody may choose a week-switching schedule where the child spends one week with one parent and the next with the other parent.
This can be a great choice for many families, but there are other options. Weekly switches may make it more difficult to finalize work schedules or child care plans. Therefore, some families may want to opt for mid-week switches in which the child spends several days each week with each of their parents; others may choose long-weekend schedules that also divide each week’s parenting time.
Finding the right parenting plan and child custody schedule can be a complex yet rewarding process once the schedule is in place. A family law attorney may help a divorcing parent to protect their relationship with their children and negotiate a fair agreement.