Child custody schedules will likely change as children grow up

When determining your child custody schedule, one thing to keep in mind is that it may not last forever. Your child’s needs will change in the future, and it may become necessary to alter or update the plan to account for that. Many parents fail to do so, and it can lead to some complications.

For instance, maybe your child is five years old and just starting school. It makes sense for them to live with you all week, since you live near the school, and to go stay with your ex on the weekends.

Fast forward ten years, though, and your child is now 15. They love spending time with their friends. It’s very important to teens, and their friends are like a second family.

However, with your schedule, your teen isn’t able to spend weekends with their friends. Your ex lives two hours away. Your child has to go live in a town where they have no friends. They feel lonely and it seems to them like they get back to school every Monday just to find out what they missed.

When your child was young, the plan worked. As a teen, it makes them feel miserable. It still makes sense for you as a parent, but does that mean it is still in your child’s best interests?

If you do want to change the custody schedule, you need to get your co-parent’s agreement or ask a judge to order the change. Either way, the custody agreement needs to be updated to reflect any changes. Talk to your attorney about your what steps to take.