| The parenting time schedule and parenting agreement | | | | with a repeating cycle of custody and visitation. Then |
| are some the documents in a custody proceeding that | | | | the parents put in vacation time and add a holiday |
| have the most impact. A mother and father need to | | | | schedule. Finally the parents should include any special |
| do everything in their power to make a good | | | | events in the calendar. Special events are times when |
| agreement that governs their custody situation. In order | | | | the custody changes for special reasons. |
| to do this, there are a few factors they should | | | | To make a really good parenting agreement, the |
| consider. Here are some suggestions for making the | | | | parents should also include parenting provisions with |
| best parenting schedule and agreement. | | | | their schedule. Provisions are stipulations the parents |
| To begin with, parents need to decide which parent | | | | agree to follow as they raise the children. There can |
| the child will reside with. Parents can choose to have | | | | be provisions about child care, transportation to visits, |
| the child live primarily with one parent and visit the | | | | traveling with the child, access to the parents' |
| other parent, this is often called a sole custody | | | | information, etc. The mother and father should put in |
| arrangement, or the child can reside with both parents | | | | provisions that will make the custody situation run more |
| and spend significant time with the mother and father, | | | | smoothly. |
| this is often called a joint custody arrangement. This | | | | When parents are able to work together on the |
| should primarily based on what the child needs and | | | | agreement there is usually a higher satisfaction with |
| secondly on what the parents want. Some states also | | | | the end result. If the parents are not able to cooperate, |
| have a preference for joint custody. | | | | the court may mandate that they attend mediation. If |
| Once there is a custodial parent, the parents can | | | | mediation is not successful, the parents will present |
| make the rest of the parenting time schedule. To | | | | their case to the court and a judge will determine the |
| make the schedule, the parents should first come up | | | | parenting schedule and agreement. |