Nowadays, your custody agreement may look different from the custody agreements of the past. Your priority is your child’s well-being and you and your spouse’s relationship with your children. If you defend your parental rights, there is no wrong way to form a custody agreement.
The Chicago Tribune suggests that parents can remain in their children’s lives 100% of the time if they choose to do so.
WHAT ARE NON-TRADITIONAL CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS?
One of the most common non-traditional custody arrangements is nesting. Nesting involves sharing the family home with the children. For example, you may have two master suites in your home and one parent has full responsibilities one week, whereas the other has full responsibilities the next. Another way to nest is to have a separate apartment for the parents when they do not have custody.
Non-traditional agreements tend to be outside the standard split, with one parent having children full-time and the other seeing their children on weekends and holidays.
WHAT FAMILIES DO NON-TRADITIONAL CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS WORK FOR?
The reality is there is no one-size-fits-all arrangement. Custody arrangements should be custom to every family. Be mindful of what would work for your family and what might not work for your family. For example, some divorced couples cannot live in the same home together, so that arrangement may not work.
For some couples, living in the same town and rotating kids week by week is a better option. This allows both parents to have an equal time in their children’s lives and to remain close enough that their children can reach them at any time. Child custody can remain fair.