Parenting Plans

Create a Parenting Plan That Works For You

 

At Law Offices of Ronald Phillips, our attorneys are both business minded and people minded. We notice and care about the best interests of your children as you prepare for a New York divorce. Children do not have a “voice” in what may be “done” to them in most cases. At Law Office of Ronald Phillips assuring the children are heard is of utmost importance. We are also familiar with what types of parenting plans New York family law judges are likely to approve.

 

The popular notion of “split child custody” is not generally assumed to be in the best interests of children in New York. A parenting plan devised by the parents should take into account often conflicting, but critically important, factors including the following:

 

• Children’s need for consistent, reliable relationships with both parents
• Children’s need for a sense of place and a sense of where home is
• Children’s need to have reasonable access to their belongings and their friends
• Children’s need to know they are safe and their parents care.

 

While it is laudable for a parent to think he or she need complete equality in custody of the children in order to maintain strong bonds with them, it may not be what is required. It also may not be practical and feasible.

 

For example, a father who works long hours during the week or travels frequently may end up not being with his children during “his” time with them if he insists on 50-50 custody without being prepared to actually parent his children. The children can experience rejection by and anger towards that parent for his/her failure.

 

We know that parents sometimes ask for a 50-50 custody split to avoid or minimize child support obligations. We also believe that this type of arrangement is very often not what is best for the child or for the parent-child relationship.

 

For mothers and fathers who are interested in promoting quality parenting by each, avoiding non-involved parenting and arrangements that amount to “warehousing” children, we offer guidance and advice that only years of experience can provide. Our family law attorneys encourage the use of the collaborative law process to keep children’s needs at the forefront of all parenting-plan discussions.

 

Based on our years of experience in New York family law, we believe that parenting plans can create win-win situations for all family members. Mothers and fathers can structure parenting plans that maximize the strengths of each parent, giving children ample access to the advantages of both.

 

Contact a well-respected New York family law attorney at the Nyack law offices of Ronald Philips in Rockland County. Other lawyers often refer potential clients to our law firm, confident in our ability to handle challenging issues.