Helping Establish Beneficial Parenting Time Arrangements

When parents are no longer together, it is important that the children they share be kept at the forefront of any decisions that are being made. This includes establishing parenting time schedules and division or responsibilities. Sometimes known as child custody, parenting time and responsibility arrangements in Illinois are created with the best interests of the children in mind, and both parents are legally obligated to follow the schedule that is set.

If you have questions or concerns about parenting time and responsibility, we can help. Our legal team at Buckley & Buckley Law, P.C., in Edwardsville, is committed to helping clients understand their rights regarding their children. We draw on more than 30 years of family law and divorce experience when providing clients with compassionate, insightful guidance in these types of cases.

How Is Parenting Time And Responsibility Determined?

As stated, parenting time and responsibility is sometimes also commonly known as child custody. Illinois law is written in a way so that parenting time and responsibility issues do not automatically lean toward the mother or toward the father. Rather, the laws and the courts recognize the value of having both parents play active roles in the children’s lives.

A parenting time and responsibility plan sets out specific times and days that the children are to spend with each parent, including weeks, weekends, school vacations and holidays. There is a number of factors that the courts take into consideration when initially creating a plan, including:

• The overall needs of the children, including their mental and physical health, as well as their ability to adjust
• The practicality of the arrangement, including distance between the parents’ homes, the children’s schedules and the parents’ work schedules
• The amount of time that each parent wants to have the children with them and support the building or continuation of a loving relationship
• The wishes of the children, if they are old enough to communicate their wishes and support their reasoning
• The ability of the parents to communicate and work together
• The potential harmful behaviors or situations of the parents, including addiction and abuse

These are just some points the court considers when determining parenting time. Whether you are seeking to be the sole custodial parent and have full parenting time or are going to be jointly handling the children with your ex, it is again essential to keep the best interests of the children in mind at all times.

Talk To Us About Your Case

For more information on how parenting time and parental responsibilities are handled in Illinois, call our office today at 618-699-4099 or contact us online.