Hi moms! So I’m in the process of writing my parenting plan with my attorney. Can anyone share some common things that can be forgotten or overlooked that should be included in the plan? I don’t want to miss anything. TIA!
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A parenting plan with an attorney? Why? I’m sorry I don’t understand
Who’s responsibility it is for making and attending doctor visits and such.
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Daycare, medical, extracurricular activity fees, transportation for visits, how holidays are split including birthdays
And a parenting plan is done with your ex or by yourself.
Are you talking what you want to put in the divorce decree?
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Communication plan and pick up and drop off plan
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Finances dies dad provide why he has the child our do you send everything kind of thing
Beneficiary of life insurance and pension until children are 18. Post secondary education. Restrictions to school …can they just go and pick up etc. Information duplicate report cards and records, updates to support based on increase income based on taxes filed, I have sole custody so I paid everything from support $ including clubs, sports, medicines, travel, ooh put in any travel restrictions. Are you to be notified if your kids are to be travelling to other states or crossing borders when on visitations, notified of hospital or Dr visits and results when in partners custody
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Birthdays, Christmas etc
Shouldnt have to be specified but no disperaging remarks made about the other parent in front of the child
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Who gets to take tax deduction(s) and when (this is often split up I think by even/odd years); how to handle extra expenses like doctor / ER visit co-pays. It’s good you are thinking this through.
Who will make which decisions. Pickup/drop off locations. How communication with the other parent will be when they are with you. A lot of it depends on the dynamic of your relationship with the father but it can’t hurt to have some rules set in stone and then as long as things are on good terms you can deviate from them if necessary. For example, my ex and I get along well and compromise often. In our parenting plan there is a specific day time and location that we meet to switch off, but if the other parent has something going on and wants to go later or earlier, even a day earlier or later, it’s no big deal for us. Always nice to know that there is something legally set in stone though 
Ummm clothing issues. Are they being sent or being supplied at other parents house. Leaving state without other parents consent HUGE no no. Keeping non custodial parent in the loop. Medical conditions behavioral issues and school or counseling. BOTH parents need to have health and dental and vision insurance. Not scheduling doctors appointments on non custodials time. Share those babies they belong to both of you…
Medical decisions for sure
So many great ones. One I have on mine is corporal punishment.
Holidays. Who claims on taxes. Who’s responsible for insurance, co pays, medicine.
Meet up place. Drop off place. (Someone I know has that wrote in incase one person moves out of town the other parent isnt responsible to drive half way) they also have that neither parent can leave the state with the child unless the other parent signs a paper stating so.
Personally, depending on your beliefs, I would put something about religion. What and who they can expose your child to. People can put a lot of ideas in a child’s head at a young age.
My in-laws tell my daughter about god, and I make sure to ask her about it because I want to make sure she is being told the truth.
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I was a bill collector for years and one thing I came across was how many fathers dont cumucate directly with the child’s doctors , both parents should and the doctor needs to send medical info and Bill’s to both father and mother . I would get calls from men saying why am I being garnished for this bill I have never know abt , my first question would be does your child’s doctors have your address and do you inquire abt the care and financial responsibilities of your child’s medical needs ? So many times they were being garnished for several co pays ect… it’s both parents responsibility to be involved in the medical aspects. Most said that’s her responsibility um no it’s the parents responsibility. So I would include he must provide address and billing info to the child’s doctors.
Communication! ex. Other parent can call or video call child while with other parent for ____ mins every day.
Not having boyfriends/girlfriends around children. Meaning no serial dating exposure to children
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Holidays, how you will split them. My ex husband and I live close so we both have them on Christmas and we share birthdays, usually having 1 party so both of us can be there. Vacations, we need to tell the other when we go out of state on vacation and for how long. We split clothing, school supplies, field trips, cell bills, theme park tickets 50/50. Its in mine that I keep him informed about school issues like grades, report cards and I tell him about any conferences so he can attend. He’s also allowed to go to school events and orientation days and check them out of school. I had them include that if he isn’t working he is to keep the kids if I am working and they are off school. If he is working during out of school days he is to pay half of any day care or sitter. I have to keep him up to date on Dr visits and make sure he has Drs location and phone numbers.
Bottom line… Share the kids with him they need their dad and it only hurts them if you don’t.
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Perhaps joint times together like the child’s birthday would be nice