When you and your spouse struggled to agree on how to raise your child while you were married, you thought that the issue was down to different parenting styles. Today, as you go through divorce, you believe it’s more to do with control.
However, you and your ex-spouse can’t continue to fight and raise your child. It’s not fair, and it won’t give your child the security they need to grow up strong and independent. You and your ex-spouse should consider a firm parenting plan long before you finalize your divorce, so you know what you expect from one another.
What should you include in a parenting plan if you don’t agree on how to raise your child?
If you and your spouse don’t agree well on the best ways to raise your child, then you need to talk about several things before including them in your parenting plan. Some of the topics you need to discuss include:
- Religion
- Schooling and education
- Sports and extracurricular activities
- Friends and who your child is or is not allowed to see
- Behavior and punishment or rewards
- Bedtimes
- Expected grades at school
- Videogame or digital time
When you talk about each of these subjects, do your best to listen to each other and express your reasoning for your own opinions. Everyone was raised differently, and there may be a way to merge your two parenting styles into one that works well for your child.
Your attorney can help you with your parenting plan and make sure it has a solid foundation that can be presented to the judge.