Life changes fast, and sometimes what worked six months ago is no longer feasible.
Because of this, courts are open to changing a parenting plan, provided you have the right reasons for doing so. Here are a few situations in which changing your parenting plan can be a good move:
Changing jobs
Work is one of the biggest reasons parenting plans get revised. Perhaps you used to work nights and now are settled into a nine-to-five routine. This may give you more flexibility for picking up your child (or children) after school.
Or if your ex-partner is taking more time off and wants to spend that time with the kids. Whatever the case, a career change can be a great reason to revisit your parenting plan.
Moving
Maybe you’ve decided to save some money and downsize from a house to an apartment. Or your ex-partner has decided they want to relocate to Fairview while you’re still in White Plains.
Moving provides a great reason to reexamine what’s working in your parenting plan and what’s not. Perhaps it makes more sense for you to pick kids up from school and your ex-partner to keep them on weekends, or for you to alternate weeks.
New medical issues
Perhaps your ex-partner is fighting a long-term illness or has been suffering from a new challenge to their health. This may require you to take the kids more often than you’ve been used to. It could necessitate you changing the parenting plan so that you are the majority-time parent for the near future.
Whenever medical issues crop up, it’s good to make sure the parenting plan works to reflect the new challenges a parent may be facing.
Keeping plans current
It’s important that your parenting plan reflects your current situation. When life changes, your plan should reflect this.
If you find your current plan is causing tension or frustrations, a revision could be helpful. Talking with a family law attorney can be a good first step towards a new parenting plan.
