Parents must ensure they have a parenting plan that’s suited for their children. Many parents don’t stop to think about how the parenting plan will need to adjust as the children get older and more mature.
Those who have teenagers at home will need a parenting plan that’s vastly different than a parent who has a newborn. One of the most important things for you to do is to think about your child’s unique needs so you can get the plan set accordingly.
1. Plan for your teen’s need for independence
It might have been easy to keep a parenting time schedule consistent when the kids were younger. Teens usually have more activities than younger children. This could change the layout of the parenting time schedule. In some cases, teens start to determine when they’ll spend time with each parent. This is often partially determined by their schedule for extracurricular activities and the time they want to spend with friends.
2. Continue communication with your ex
Your teen needing more independence doesn’t mean that you won’t have to deal with your ex. The issues that you have to discuss now are different from the ones you had when they were younger. Things you may need to focus on now include planning for after high school, the increasing need for the teen to be social and helping them to learn skills they’ll need during adulthood.
The parenting plan that works for younger children isn’t going to be appropriate for teens. While you will need some structure, you won’t need as much with an infant or preschooler. It may help you to work with someone who’s familiar with finding creative solutions to issues that might be present.