Coming to an agreement on visitation rights and a parenting plan will likely be the most challenging thing you and your co-parent must do. It is not always possible to come to an agreement. If you do not agree, then a judge will eventually have to serve as a tie breaker and set a parenting plan for you to follow.

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If you are unable to come to an agreement, hopefully you will be able to agree on a temporary parenting plan. Temporary parenting plans help by putting a set schedule in place for the pendency of your divorce or custody action. It can takes months to get a hearing before the judge on a parenting plan issue and it also takes a considerable amount of time to prepare for a hearing before a judge.

 

What is a Parenting Plan?

In Tennessee, your visitation rights will be part of what is commonly referred to as your parenting plan. The Tennessee Parenting Plan is designed with the overall goal and objective of lessening the hostility and encouraging parents to work cooperatively. Usually, a child will do best when they receive the emotional and financial support of both parents. Your parenting plan will divide up the time you and your co-parent are entitled to spend with your child, and it will have the necessary specificity to avoid conflicts. Your parenting plan will break up time with your child into at least the following categories:

 

• Day-To-Day Schedule

• Holiday Schedule and Other School Free Days

• Fall Vacation

• Christmas Vacation (Winter Break)

• Spring Vacation

• Summer Vacation

 

Your primary considerations in creating a parenting plan will ideally be:

• To maximize each parent’s time with your child.

• To accommodate both parent’s work schedule.

• Minimizing travel times and wait times, and reducing the likelihood of conflict during the exchange of your child.

• Take into account the parenting schedule your child is already accustom to.

• Your child’s school and extracurricular activities.

• Your child's ability to participation in special events and events with relatives.

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Child support should not be a primary consideration for how much time you are willing to agree the other parent can spend with your child.

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In the event supervision is required, your parenting plan should also specify the parameters of supervision to ensure the safety of your child during visitations.

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For more information concerning parenting plans in Tennessee, contact us and schedule a consultation. We are here to help navigate you through the Tennessee parenting plan process.