On behalf of Cooper & Tanis, P.C. posted in child custody on Thursday, March 24, 2016.

Colorado parents may struggle with their emotions when they divorce while worrying about their children as well. They might be concerned about the years ahead of co-parenting with their ex-spouse, and this does not necessarily end when the children are no longer minors. As grandchildren come along, they might continue to have some contact with each other.

If a smooth relationship regarding the children is established early on, that may set the stage for the years ahead. One way to accomplish this is to have a comprehensive parenting plan. Parents can anticipate difficulties that may arise and put into writing what they will do in those situations.

Parenting plans often have three components. These are legal custody, physical custody and other orders. Legal and physical custody may be shared. The former deals with who has decision-making power over such aspects as the child’s education and is usually shared, while the latter deals with who the child lives with. The third section anticipates situations such as one parent moving away and discusses what will happen in that eventuality.

A good parenting plan can send a message to children, their teachers and other officials that the parents are working hard to meet their obligations. Since the parenting plan contains a record of agreements and modifications, it can cut down on arguments about who said what.

A parent who is thinking about creating a parenting plan may want to have the assistance of an attorney at an early stage. Ideally, parents can negotiate a parenting plan without turning to a judge to do so. However, sometimes there might be issues such as domestic violence or worries about child abduction or simply too much conflict for this to be possible. If this occurs, a judge will attempt to make a decision that is in the best interests of the child.