Parents work hard to develop a parenting agreement during their divorce. Addressing all the facets of their children’s lives and what responsibilities each parent will have in their parenting agreement can be a complicated and stressful process. After all the work the two of you put into your plan, what do you do if your ex wants to modify your plan?
Minor changes
If your spouse wants to change something small, such as switching visitation weekends or requesting an in-state vacation with the kids, trying to settle things between the two of you may be the best option. Compromise and communication can help settle things in a way that benefits everyone. For example, trading weekends now in exchange for trading a weekend for your schedule later on can let everyone win.
Major changes
Suppose you cannot come to an agreement on a small modification, or your ex-spouse is looking to change a major portion of your agreement, such as wanting to relocate to a new school district or change the custody agreement or child support. In that case, the matter may need to go before a court. In order to make major changes to an agreement, a spouse first needs permission from a court to make the requested changes.
For a court to approve these major changes, there needs to be a valid reason for them. Common reasons for modifications are to protect the children, career changes, or a parent remarries.
Do what is best for your kids
If your ex-spouse is trying to modify your parenting plan, consult with an attorney about what you need to do to protect the best interests of your children. They can help you either work to modify the agreement in an agreeable manner or fight to keep your agreement as it is.
