Differing parenting styles and values can cause problems when exes co-parent. If your ex-spouse spends a lot of time at work or travels extensively, for example, you may feel that it is not in your child’s best interests to constantly be left with the nanny.
But can you stop that from happening? Perhaps.
Parents commonly rely on family members to be a child’s caretaker when they have to be away from home. When that is not possible, they may look in to babysitters or nannies for their child care needs. If you feel like your child is spending most of their time in third-party care when they would be better off staying with you, that could be a reason to ask for a modification to the current custody order.
One question you have to ask yourself is whether or not the situation is different than when you and your spouse were together. If your child has always had a nanny, even before your divorce, then the fact that they are in a nanny’s care now is less likely to be considered problematic by the court.
You may also consider renegotiating your parenting plan to ask for the right of first refusal when child care is needed. This means that your ex-spouse would be required to ask if you are available to care for your child when they need to be away before turning to someone else.
Every child custody case has the potential to be complicated. When parents have high-profile jobs or high-intensity professions, it can be even more difficult. If you feel that your child is being neglected because they are being left in third-party care too often or for too long, talk to an attorney about the situation.
