Parent Coordination - Parent Plan Issues after Divorce

As the years go by and the issues surrounding parenting become more complex, parents are either less likely to adhere to their previously agreed upon parenting plan or find that no agreements were ever made and in turn, need help resolving the issues that inevitably present themselves. Issues that arise include, but are not limited to:

• Holiday Schedules
• Vacation Schedules
• Healthcare Issues
• Education Issues
• Religious Issues
• Gift Giving and Spending Money Issues
• Communication Issues Between Parents

While the reasons vary from couple to couple, below you will find the three most common scenarios that trigger a need to discuss parenting plans post divorce. In each of these cases, mediation can help divorced couples resolve the issues pertaining to their children peacefully, efficiently and with as little impact to the family as possible.

It’s a fact of life that children grow up. Perhaps your children were very young when you divorced in which case your children have outgrown the parenting plan you and your ex-spouse agreed to at the time. What was an important issue to discuss when your son or daughter was three now seems irrelevant as a teenager. Mediation can help you resolve age-specific issues with regard to parenting and help each of you focus on what matters most for your child at any stage of their life.

Some couples who chose a more contentious path to divorce such as collaborative divorce or litigation find that in their anger, they forgot the one thing that matters most: their children. When focus on the financial matters of divorce such as equitable distribution or spousal support / alimony took precedence over developing a detailed parenting plan, couples need assistance with outlining in detail the issues that they face as parents and how they will mutually agree to manage them. Mediation is an excellent way to do this without having to once again go through the painful, contentious process of going to court and litigating.

Perhaps you did agree on a parenting plan when you first divorced and now that some years have passed, you’d like to modify it. With the help of a caring and knowledgeable professional mediator, mediation is a great way to discuss your original parenting arrangements and work through the issues you’d like to re-visit or modify without going to court.

No matter which situation you find yourself in, post divorce mediation has worked for thousands of couples throughout New Jersey and it can work for you too. Should you have any specific questions regarding parenting plans in your particular situation, please contact us and we'd be happy to schedule a free, no obligation consultation to discuss how mediation and post divorce parent coordination can help you.