A parenting plan is something that divorced parents rely on to make child custody work. When you are co-parenting, you might have to go a step beyond just a basic parenting plan. Instead, you might need to come up with a game plan for handling the co-parenting arrangement.
When you come up with a game plan, there are some very specific points that you need to think about. You need to set the goals for the plan. Think carefully about this so that you can include goals for the aspects of the relationship that you feel are important.
You should outline what you need to do to meet your goals. Make these steps small and attainable so that you don’t become discouraged as you try to achieve them.
You also need to set deadlines for the goals that you have. You might even want to set them for the smaller steps so that you have an incentive to get them done. Just remember that the deadlines you set for goals can be changed depending on the circumstances and what you need.
There are times when your goals might mean that you will face challenges. If you are worried about a possible challenge or think that one is very likely, you can determine what steps you will take if the challenge comes up. This advance preparation can help you deal with the situation better and might reduce the stress you feel during this process.
One thing that many people realize is that when you are dealing with child custody, you can’t be too careful or plan too much. By planning ahead, you can find out what issues you might face and work to improve the situation.
Source: Our Family Wizard, “Your Game-Plan for Improving Your Co-parenting,” accessed Feb. 08, 2018
