Parenting Time
What is Parenting Time?
Children generally succeed with emotional and financial support and involvement with their parents. Parenting time helps children maintain a close relationship with both parents throughout their childhood after the parents get a divorce. Parenting time is a time arrangement that judges create, deciding the amount of time the child or children will spend with the parent who does not have custody (non-custodial parent). Parenting time is essential for non-custodial parents, ensuring they still receive valuable time with their children.
How is Parenting Time Determined?
Parenting time can be determined in several different ways, depending on the cooperation of the parents and how the child’s custody was determined. In most cases, the court will decide the amount of time the non-custodial parent will spend with the child during the calendar year. Three significant factors play a role in the judge’s decision; the child’s age, safety, and past relationship with the parents.
Generally, the non-custodial parent will be granted a 25% minimum, which equals about every other weekend and one day a week. The percentage of parenting time is calculated based on the number of overnights the child spends with the parent each year. In some cases, the child might not stay overnight with the parents but spends the day with the parent; the day spent together counts toward 25%. In some situations, the court may grant the parents reasonable parenting time, meaning the parents figure out the visit times and places within the granted amount of time. But the court may set specific dates and times for the parents depending on the situation or if either parent asks.
Can Parenting Time be Changed or Altered?
When deciding parenting time, the focus is on what is best for the child. Parenting time can be altered to more parenting time for the non-custodial parent to help the other parent out or make the schedule a better fit for the children or parents. But it also can be changed for negative behavior a parent has encountered. Just like anything in life, all of your actions have consequences. Parenting time can be adjusted to less than 25% of parenting time if the parent is likely to harm the child’s physical and emotional health or growth.
Divorce when children are involved: Parenting Time
Knowing your options and having a divorce lawyer trustworthy when determining parenting time is key to success. Kay Snyder is a respectable and well-known lawyer that works forcefully towards the most favorable results in your parenting time case. Contact her for a consultation today.
