3 Guidelines For Securing More Visitation Time With Your Child
When a couple with children split up, one of the major details that they have to work out is how much time each parent gets to spend with their children. If you're unhappy with how much visitation time you have, it's important to realize that you have options for altering your time with your kids. Follow these three guidelines for increasing your visitation time.
1. Work with Your Child's Parent to Modify Your Parenting Plan
Before contacting your attorney or going to court, it's best to try to work things out directly with your child's parent. Keeping the matter out of court can help minimize the expenses associated with changing your visitation agreement. Be prepared to offer a few different schedule solutions that can help you get more visitation with your child.
For example, if your time currently includes every other weekend and an evening during the week, you might suggest that your children stay overnight with you on their midweek visit. Make it clear to your former partner that you'll handle any logistics associated with transporting your children to school or daycare after their visit with you.
Or, if your children's other parent prefers not to increase visitation during the school year, you might ask for more time over the summer months and school holidays. Compromise is key for helping you obtain more time with your kids. If your ex-partner refuses to budge or even consider the notion of changing your existing plan, it's wise to contact your child custody attorney for further assistance.
2. Document Occasions When You Care for Your Child Outside of Your Normal Visitation Times
In some cases, you might already be caring for your child outside of your scheduled visitation times and simply want to alter your parenting plan to formally add these times to your schedule. It's a good idea to document whenever you care for your kids or see them outside of the pre-scheduled times. This will help you build a case to show the judge that your kids are used to seeing you more than your plan officially dictates, and it can be beneficial for showing your spouse that they may not actually be losing that much time with their children.
3. Show the Judge Why More Time with You Will Benefit Your Kids
Judges want what's best for the kids. If your case goes to court, it's vital to be able to show why more time with you will benefit your children. This is especially important if you have had issues in the past that may have caused the judge to limit your time with your children. Show the judge that you have or are improving these issues, and explain the steps you've taken to provide a healthy environment for your children.