Parents putting together a custody agreement have to think about potential future challenges. Their agreement can include terms well beyond a basic division of parenting time and decision-making authority. Many families also include clauses that address a variety of challenging personal situations.
Childcare and last-minute schedule adjustments can quickly crop up and complicate a co-parenting arrangement. Parents may also have concerns about who may provide child care when the other parent is not available.
Parents who include a special clause in their parenting plans can sometimes secure more parenting time with their children than they usually get.
Parents can ask for the first right of refusal
Professional childcare is expensive, and it is also a risk factor. Some childcare providers are negligent or abusive, and parents may worry about who might watch their children when the other parent can’t be with them.
If one parent has to go to work or has other obligations during their parenting time, the other could potentially spend that time with them instead of sending them to a childcare professional. A clause granting one parent the right of first refusal typically requires that the other contact them first before making outside childcare arrangements.
A parent who desires more time with their children may occasionally obtain opportunities by having such a clause in place. They can also reduce the likelihood that their children may spend time with strangers or volatile people who might provide childcare services.
Taking the time to add the right terms to a parenting plan can protect the rights of the parents and the well-being of the children in the family.