When you decided to adopt, did you ever expect that it would be such a lengthy and litigious process? Many people are surprised to find that adoption is a significant part of family law. In fact, adoption attorneys play a critical role in every single adoption. While many agencies will arrange for the necessary legal services, things are trickier when you are involved in an independent adoption.
If you find the prospect of all this legal wrangling too much to bear, then it's time to stop worrying! We want to help prospective adoptive parents to get through this process so that they can provide a caring and loving home to the children who need it the most. We'll give you the information you need to prepare for the legal side of adoption, in terms that will (hopefully!) demystify the entire affair.
A parenting plan is crucial for anybody who is establishing a child custody plan with an ex-spouse. If you can sit down with your ex to create a parenting plan, you are in the best possible position because you can work together to raise your children the way you both see best. When you don't create a parenting plan, you may be putting all your fate in the hands of a judge who does not know you or your child in the same way you do.
If you write the best possible parenting plan, you can establish a stronger relationship with your child and keep things as friendly as possible with your ex. Here are some tips to help you write a parenting plan that works for you.
Designate Parental Responsibility
One of the first things you should work on in your parenting plan is your custody arrangement. What kind of responsibility will each of you take on? You should discuss the possible arrangements for custody, potentially even working with a family law attorney to come up with the right option for you in mediation. Some types of arrangements certainly have more advantages than others for each parent, so think this out thoroughly to ensure the best interest of your child.
Decide Who Will Make Choices
One of your steps as part of choosing custody is understanding who will make choices on your child's behalf. Who will make choices for your child's medical care? What about your child's education? Who is going to determine if the child can participate in extracurricular activities?
This isn't only about making choices though. It's also about determining who must attend specific events. Who comes to parent-teacher conferences? Who takes the child to the doctor or dentist? Who provides insurance and payment for these things? You can include a detailed run-down in your plan or specify that either parent may attend based on their work schedules.
Visitation Options
Your next step is to outline the visitation plan. Does the child spend time with the other parent on certain days or during certain hours? How will you handle breaks from school and holidays? The sooner you arrange this schedule, the less conflict you will endure later.
Do you still have questions about your child's best interest? How can you create a plan that works for both the parents and the child? How can you manage conflict later? A family law and divorce attorney can help you with this process.