When people decide to no longer be together, but have a child together, there is a lot to be discussed when they separate. Typically, parents who have to deal with the issue of child custody may be emotional about the situation and can often disagree on a custody arrangement and end up going court to get a resolution. However, they do have the option of figuring things out for themselves and working together to negotiate a parenting agreement that they both feel is fair.
A parenting agreement is an agreement that parents come up with to help them resolve disputes over child custody. As parents work through the details, the topics to be discussed and information that can be included in the parenting agreement may be visitation schedules, physical custody, legal custody and more. These agreements can even include how future disputes between parents will be handled should they occur.
When parents sit down and discuss child custody, they may go back and forth for quite some time before they can find an arrangement they can agree upon. Ideally, parents will want to find an arrangement that is in the best interests of the child and that will allow them to have a relationship with both parents. Even though one parent may not want the other parent in the child’s life, they will have to put their own desires aside and make a decision that will positively benefit the child.
Anyone who is having difficulty working together with the other parent of their child to find an arrangement that works for them and the child may want to contact an attorney. Child custody is not an easy topic to discuss, especially if parents do not agree. An attorney could possibly help parents calmly and rationally discuss their issues and find an arrangement both parents are happy with.