At the end of a marriage, custody and parenting time issues often cause problems for parents. According to Stark County’s official website, Ohio courts must take a child’s best interests into consideration when setting up parenting orders.
Many factors require examination with respect to parenting time, and these orders impact families in different ways.
Holidays
Parenting orders stipulate when parents can spend time with their kids, although courts encourage a certain level of flexibility. For example, parenting orders in Ohio address summer vacations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and a child’s birthday, as well as Christmas and Thanksgiving.
In most instances, children rotate between spending time with one parent during a particular holiday and the other parent during the next year. Parents can take vacations with their kids, but they must inform the other parent beforehand.
Communication
Sometimes, parents must allow the other parent to contact the kids via telephone on a daily basis. Often, parents must make calls during certain time frames, and if children do not answer the phone, they must return the call within a reasonable period. Moreover, many teenagers prefer to keep in touch via text.
Transportation
Parents should also plan ahead regarding transportation. Parents picking up their children for scheduled parenting time have the responsibility to provide transportation. A neutral location is a better pick-up site than either parent’s house when conflict and tension are an issue in a relationship.
When parents consider the same issues that the court uses to determine parenting time factors, they are more likely to come up with a plan that a judge will approve.
