If you are going through a divorce and have a baby, one of the first things you need to do is create a parenting plan. How will you and your ex share custody and juggle parenting time? What will the future look like? How can you maintain good bonding with your baby and still go through your divorce?
When going through a divorce with a newborn, creating your parenting plan and determining custody may take precedent over all other divorce matters. An experienced Atlanta divorce attorney can help you protect your parenting rights and develop a parenting plan and custody schedule that works for you and your family.
There are a few things to keep in mind when creating your Atlanta parenting plan:
- Don’t try to do everything yourself – get help from a lawyer or mediator.
- Make sure you tailor the parenting plan to your specific situation to meet the needs of your child.
- Be realistic – remember that both parents still need to co-parent even if they are not living together.
- Try to develop a custody schedule that works for both parents and their children.
- When creating a parenting plan, you need to keep the long-term best interest of your child in mind.
- Consider if mediation would help you and your ex come up with a custody schedule that you can both agree. Mediation is typically used when spouses have mature relationships and can work together in co-parenting their children even after divorce. Atlanta family lawyers know the benefits of mediation for Atlanta parents going through a divorce who have young children.
- If you do not want joint custody or cannot agree on a custody schedule, it may be beneficial to speak to an attorney about litigation. In this situation, a judge will determine how to divide the baby’s physical and legal custody.
What Should You Include in Your Parenting Plan When You Have a Baby?
When you have a baby, one of the most important things you need to do is create a parenting plan. This document will outline how you and the other parent will share physical custody of your child and how you will make decisions about their care.
Here are some things to include in your parenting plan:
- How you will share physical custody of your child. One of the most important things in a parenting plan is specifying how you and the other parent will share physical custody of your child. You should decide who they will live with during various periods of the year, including holidays and birthdays.
- How you will make decisions about your child’s care. You also need to decide how you will make decisions about your child’s care. Will you both have an equal say in what they do, or will one parent have the final say?
- How you will communicate with each other about your child. It is also important to decide how you will communicate with each other about your child. Will you talk on the phone or email each other? Will you have a joint bank account for your child’s expenses? Deciding these things ahead of time will help avoid any misunderstandings down the road.
- How you will handle disagreements. Finally, you need to decide how you will handle disagreements. What happens if one of you wants to do something that the other doesn’t agree with? Having a clear plan for dealing with disagreements will help keep things from getting tense between you and the other parent.
No matter what situation you are in, it is important to create a parenting plan that meets your child’s specific needs. If you need help creating a parenting plan, contact an Atlanta child custody lawyer at Hobson & Hobson, P.C. for assistance. Our attorneys can help you draft a parenting plan that will work best for you and your child.
Call Our Experienced Atlanta Family Law Attorneys
At Hobson & Hobson, P.C., our Atlanta child custody attorneys know that maintaining a relationship with your children is of utmost importance to you. We believe in helping parents create unique parenting plans that work for them and their children. We offer sound legal guidance and advice at every turn, so you can protect your parenting rights during even the most contentious of divorces.
If you are considering a child support modification or have questions regarding your specific case, call us today at (770) 284-6153 or schedule an appointment online to review all your legal options.
Attorney Sarah Hobson at Hobson and Hobson, P.C. are powerful advocates for those who fight for better futures for those going through divorce and custody law matters.
