In today’s world, it is common for both parents to work. Gone are the days when mom stayed home to raise the kids and tend to the home while dad went out into the world to earn a living for his family. Some say this is a good thing. Women are just as capable of working after all, and their ability to contribute to producing income is a net positive for the family.
On the other hand, people will argue that when one parent remains in the home, mom or dad, and one goes and works, the family's dynamic is better off and leads to greater cohesion and overall happiness. Divorce rates are higher in our world today than they were during the time our grandparents were raising children. Maybe there’s some correlation there?
However you feel about gender, work, and family, if you are going through a divorce and are a working parent, you will need to learn the skills necessary for divorce and are a working parent, you will need to know the necessary skills to be able to effectively parent your child and attend to your responsibilities at work. Given that your household income will have decreased due to your having lost a spouse’s pay, you may need to adjust how you approach your role as mom or dad.
When your divorce concludes, there will be a parenting plan put into place that lays out in detail the possession schedule for both you and your ex-spouse.
This will be your roadmap for the foreseeable future. Of course, you can deviate from that roadmap with the agreement of your ex-spouse if alterations or variations need to be made. For the most part, however, your possession schedule as laid out in the Final Decree of Divorce will act as a default for you both to rely upon.
The question remains- how best can you tackle your parenting responsibilities within the context of a possession schedule and work schedule? Before your divorce concludes, it is essential to consider several issues. Read on to find out what the attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC have to say on this subject.
The Geographic Restriction
Is it appropriate or beneficial for your family to have a geographic restriction in place as to where your children can reside? If your children live in Harris County, a joint geographic restriction would be to have them remain in Harris or any county that touches Harris County.
This applies no matter if you or your spouse end up being named the parent with the right to designate the children's primary residence. I have had clients who in the past have split custody 50/50 and decided upon a school district as their geographic restriction.
The bottom line is that distance for travel is one of the most significant determining factors in your quality of life with your children and your ability to utilize the time you do have effectively. If you spend all of your time picking your children up and lugging them home or to school or an extracurricular activity, you are not getting in the sort of relationship-building time that you and they need.
The stories that you hear from other parents that they enjoy the car rides home with their children because they can talk? They’re missing the point. Being at home, together, is where you can stop the pace of the world from infiltrating your family, even if it’s just for a moment.
Electronic possession
I know there is a push in parenting circles to restrict our children’s access to electronics like phones and computers. However, I would argue that electronic periods of possession for divorced parents can be significant to tide you and the kids over until you can physically be with them.
If the use of electronics is reasonable in terms of time length, is not disruptive of their activities, and encourages communication, I say it is a positive for divorced families. You, as a parent, need to understand that having electronic periods of possession with your children is not appropriate for extended lengths of time while your kids are with their other parents. As long as both parents can play nice, I believe it can positively affect working, divorced parents.
Go with the flow
I touched earlier on an important topic that I don’t think many people know when a divorce is first filed. Many people, of which you may be one, believe that a judge will decide their case and watch every move that their family makes after the divorce is finalized. This is not the truth, however.
Most divorces are settled outside of court through negotiation and mutual agreement. On top of that, the Decree terms you decide upon need not be followed precisely as long as you and your ex-spouse agree to any variation made. If no agreement “on the fly” can be arrived at, your Decree should be relied upon.
However, if “life happens” and you need to change a pickup/drop-off schedule, it is excellent to directly communicate with your ex-spouse and arrange that alteration between the two of you.
This encourages communication, co-parenting and general civil behavior. If you and your ex-spouse can show this level of respect towards one another, even given busy work and life schedules, you can bet that your children will notice and mimic your behavior. On top of that, each of your parenting times will be much more productive.
Questions about parenting after a divorce? Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, today
If you are a working parent with questions about managing your time after divorce, please contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC. One of our licensed family law attorneys attorneysattorneys will be available to meet with you six days a week to discuss your case in a free-of-charge consultation. We represent clients across southeast Texas and would be honored to do the same for you and your family.
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Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC | Spring Divorce Lawyer
The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, routinely handles matters that affect children and families. If you have questions regarding divorce, it's essential to speak with a Spring, TX Divorce Lawyer right away to protect your rights.
Our divorce lawyers in Spring, TX, are skilled at listening to your goals during this trying process and developing a strategy to meet those goals. Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC by calling (281) 810-9760 or submit your contact information in our online form. The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, handles Divorce cases in Spring, Texas, Cypress, Spring, Klein, Humble, Kingwood, Tomball, The Woodlands, the FM 1960 area, or surrounding areas, including Harris County, Montgomery County, Liberty County, Chambers County, Galveston County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, and Waller County.
