Syncing Schedules in Blended Families

 Posted on November 05, 2015 in Visitation

Blended families, where there is a mix of children from previous relationships as well as children from the current relationship, are increasingly common. While blended families can help instill a sense of stability in children, they can also take a lot of work. One common issue is the existence of multiple parenting time schedules for different children. Trying to sync schedules with everyone can be a nightmare.

Stay Flexible

The first principle in trying to get all of the children on a workable schedule is to remain flexible. You will often have to ask another parent to make a special accommodation for you. When asking for a favor, the more flexible you can be on the timing, the more likely you are to get what you want. If you are flexible when you are asked by the other parent for a schedule change, the more likely he or she will be to accommodate your requests.

Plan Ahead

Being spontaneous is great, but life is complicated. When you have a blended family, the more lead time you have to get everyone on the same schedule, the easier it will be to pull off a fun activity for the entire family.

While everyone has a different definition of what it means to plan ahead, if you are trying to arrange a trip that is a week or longer, you should start trying to find dates everyone can work with six months to a year in advance.

Modification as Last Resort

One parent’s unwillingness to accommodate a special family vacation is not a reason to get a modification of a parenting time schedule from the court. But, a new marriage and new step-siblings can be factors that constitute the change of circumstances needed for a court to consider issuing a modification.

However, going back to court for a modification should be a last resort. Once the court is willing to consider a modification, everything can end up back on the table, including custody and child support. The court is bound to make a determination that is in the best interest of the child given the current circumstances. This gives courts wide discretion to make changes.

Contact a dedicated and experienced Naperville family law attorney if you have any questions about custody, parenting time, or any other family law issues. Call 630-352-2240 today to schedule a consultation with the Pesce Law Group, P.C.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=8300000&SeqEnd=10000000