For Kentucky couples who are ending their marriages, devising a parenting plan is usually a top priority. Most people already know that they do not have to allow a judge to make these important decisions for them, but they not truly understand the benefits of working out a child custody agreement on their own. Below are just some of the reasons why doing so could prove a better option for most families, especially when parents agree to put aside their differences for the sake of their children.
A primary benefit of negotiating an agreement outside the courtroom is control. When parents negotiate and create their own agreement, they retain the option of tailoring the resulting parenting plan to their family’s needs. In addition, people who do so tend to follow through with the agreement since they created it.
The negotiation process removes the adversarial aspects of going to court, and instead, focuses on the future. There is no place for blame in this process, which helps both parents focus more on what will work best for their children instead of who did what to whom during the marriage. In many cases, this works best for parents who acknowledge that the children need both parents in their lives in order to thrive.
The degree to which the parents remain involved with each other can vary. Some parents are able to continue to celebrate holidays, birthdays and other special events as a family despite the divorce. Others may work better by dividing these days. The possibilities are endless as long as the best interests of the children remain the priority. Parents understand better than a Kentucky judge how their work schedules and other obligations allow for time with the children as well.
The divorce process naturally involves at least some stress. By negotiating a child custody agreement without going to court, parents can remove at least some, if not all, of that stress for themselves and their children. The smoother and less contentious the transition is from one household to two, the greater the chances are that the children will get through the process as unscathed as possible and thrive in the future.