Childcare Planning for Divorced Parents

 Posted on June 28, 2024 in Child Custody / Allocation of Parental Responsibilities

Especially if you and your child’s other parent both work full-time, there will be times when neither parent can physically be with the child. Even if one of you is a stay-at-home parent, there may be occasions when you need someone other than your co-parent to take care of your child for a short amount of time. You may need to attend to a family emergency while your co-parent is out of town, or your co-parent may have a work event that is not child-friendly while you are out of town. It is wise to include both contingency and routine childcare plans in your parenting plan. A Naperville, IL parenting plans attorney can help you and your spouse negotiate these terms.

Planning for Routine Childcare

If you and your co-parent work overlapping hours, you will need to plan for routine childcare while you are both at work. A few things to consider include:

• Paying for care - You will need to determine how you and the other parent will share the cost of childcare. 
• Agreeing on a non-professional caregiver - If you have a close friend or family member willing to watch your child so that you do not need to send him or her to daycare, it is important to make sure both parents are comfortable with this arrangement. 
• Whether changing your schedules is an option - Depending on your professions, it may be an option for one of you to work different shifts to avoid the need for regular childcare altogether. 

Planning for Contingency Childcare 

In case there is a time when neither parent can care for the child, you should have an agreement about who else can watch your child. You should consider: 

• Safety - First and foremost, make sure anyone you plan to leave your child with can safely care for her. If grandma smokes inside or grandpa has fallen asleep holding the baby before, they may not be safe choices. 
• Your child’s comfort - Make sure your child is comfortable with anyone you plan to let babysit her. 
• Who has helped in the past - Divorcing parents are often reluctant to agree to let each other’s family members or friends watch their children out of bias against their exes rather than genuine concern. However, if your co-parent’s sister has always been reliable and your children enjoy seeing her, your children may be better off with her than with a new babysitter they do not know as well.

Contact a Naperville, IL Parenting Plans Attorney

Calabrese Associates, P.C. is committed to helping parents solve problems and find solutions. Experienced DuPage County, IL child custody mediation lawyer Michael J. Calabrese lectures on family law-related topics when he is not attending to his practice. Contact us at 630-393-3111 for a confidential consultation.