When your spouse had a busy day at work, you were around to care for your child. Occasionally, you have a babysitter show up when you and your spouse needed a night out. Now that you’re divorced, however, you may need to talk to your co-parent about who’s looking after your child.
Scheduling parenting time is an important factor in being a co-parent. You likely have a set amount of time to see your child each week, but you might find yourself eager to get even more time whenever the chance presents itself. If your co-parent needs a babysitter, you could have the right of first refusal if you have a carefully planned child custody order. Here’s what you should know:
Defining the right of first refusal
The right of first refusal can be a part of your child custody agreement that grants you the privilege of parenting your child any time your co-parent can’t. In other words, before your co-parent calls a babysitter or another family member to care for your child when they can’t, you’ll have the first opportunity to spend some extra time with your child. This can be especially beneficial if you know your co-parent has fluctuating work hours and needs someone to regularly step in.
Asking for the right of first refusal isn’t just beneficial to the time you spend with your child but also the communication you build with your co-parent. You and your co-parent may have clear communication and direct responses with a right of first refusal agreement. You may even find yourself less anxious as a parent knowing your child is always in safe hands.
If you’re working to build a strong child custody order, you may need to reach out for legal help to know all of your options. Good planning today can help you have a happier tomorrow.
