When the relationship between you and your child’s other parent ends, you may need to come up with a New Jersey parenting plan that dictates what you and the other parent agree to as far as raising your son or daughter in separate homes. Ultimately, the plan should prioritize your child’s best interests, rather than those of you or your ex. Your child’s best interests ought to be the main consideration when creating your parenting plan.
Per the New Jersey Judiciary Court System, if you and your ex are unable to come up with an agreed-upon parenting plan, you may need to have the state step in and help. What are some of the things you may want to cover in your New Jersey parenting plan?
Your time-sharing schedule
Try to come up with a time-sharing schedule for your son or daughter that is realistic and flexible. In addition to covering your general time-sharing agreement, you may also want to include information about how you plan to split holidays, summer vacations and the like to avoid future conflicts.
Your decision-making responsibilities
It may also help prevent future conflicts if you determine who handles decision-making for your son or daughter and when. For example, maybe the parent who has the child in the home makes minor decisions relating to the child, while both parents have to confer before making any major decisions relating to your child.
You may also want to use the parenting plan to dictate how your child communicates with one parent while staying with the other, among other possible inclusions.