Parenting Time
Getting a divorce affects how much time you have with your children. The kind of parenting time you want and the kind of time you get are not always the same. The hours, days, and weeks you have with your children are decided by the Michigan court, and the determination is made based on the best interests of the children.
How Parenting Time Works
Michigan family law court works to ensure that children have time with both their custodial and non-custodial parents. The time the non-custodial parent has with their kids is known as parenting time.
Divorcing parents can work with their divorce attorneys to agree on a unique parenting time schedule that suits their lifestyles and obligations and honors the child’s needs too. There is also a general parenting time schedule that offers a starting point for negotiations about who sees the children when.
Whatever parenting time terms are agreed upon, they must be honored by both parties. Should one parent not obey the custody or parenting time order, it may be necessary to request help from the Friend of the Court or file a motion asking the court to enforce the parenting time order. Keep in mind that a parent cannot be forced to see their children, and even if they are not keeping up with child support payments, the court-ordered parenting time schedule must be followed.
Examples of Parenting Time Schedules
Most divorcing parents do not take for granted the time they get to spend with their kids. The reduced or increased time together is also placed into stark relief when a legal document spells out when you get to see each other and when you cannot. Here are some common examples of parenting time schedules:
- Regular: Includes parenting time every other weekend from Friday evening to Sunday night and weekday parenting time one night a week.
- Summer: Each parent has three weeks with their child, including two consecutive weeks. The regular parenting time schedule is followed the rest of the time. Summer plans must be agreed upon early to ensure both parents get the time they want each summer.
- Birthday: The child’s birthday is alternated between parents.
- Holidays and school breaks: Special breaks take precedence over the normal parenting time schedule and include mid-winter break, spring break, Memorial Day weekend, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend, Halloween, Thanksgiving weekend, and Christmas or winter break.
Arrangements are made for custodial and non-custodial parents in even- and odd-numbered years. Some minor holidays are reserved for one parent alone every year while other holidays can be shared or split except for the actual day on which a holiday falls.
The ages of the children in a divorce also impact parenting time. Special arrangements typically need to be made for children with special needs, as well as infants or toddlers, especially those still nursing, rather than following the school schedule set for older children. When it comes to school-age children, the parent the child is with each day is responsible for getting them to and from all extracurricular activities.
Get Parenting Time Support from a Michigan Divorce Lawyer
The family law division of BBA Law is dedicated to supporting divorcing parents as you work through the dissolution of your marriage and the alterations to your daily life and your children’s lives. Every good parent deserves to be in their child’s life. Our experienced attorneys are well-versed in Michigan’s fair parenting time guidelines and the requirements of the court so both parents can get equal time with their kids without disrupting their young lives. Contact us today for a consultation.
