Childcare Arrangements And Your Divorce
Divorce is a lot more complicated for couples who have minor children than for couples who do not have children together or whose children have grown up. Money is part of the reason for this, but it is not the whole reason. Even couples who are happily married often disagree about children’s expenses or about matters of parenting. Was there ever a time during your childhood when one of your parents said that the other was being too strict or too lenient regarding discipline? When you get divorced, an optimist will say that your spouse can no-longer micromanage your parenting approach like she did during your marriage. As long as your children are minors, though, the court needs a record of all your expenses, including childcare expenses, in order to calculate child support. A Boca Raton child custody lawyer can help you resolve disputes related to childcare and childcare expenses after divorce.
One Daycare or Two?
The parents of the youngest children are more likely to have parenting schedules other than “weekdays with Mom, weekends with Dad.” For example, it might be “mornings with Mom, evenings with Dad,” or they may even rotate parenting time on a three-day schedule or a weekly schedule. The best parenting plan is the one that offers children the greatest amount of continuity, so it is ideal if they can attend the same daycare every day, getting dropped off and picked up by different parents on different days. If this is not feasible because one parent lives and works too far away from the pre-divorce daycare, the child may need to attend two daycares, and the parents may need to work out part time payment schedules.
Paying for In-Home Nannies and Other Beyond-the-Basics Childcare Expenses
If you were able to afford an in-home nanny during your marriage, then you are certainly in the tax bracket where divorce is always complicated. (Consider that, among the 99 percent, family members provide in-home childcare. The fact that Grandma cares for the children on weekday afternoons until Mom comes home from work, this does not constitute an additional expense for which to account in the child support order.) Keeping the same nanny after divorce is an excellent source of continuity, but the situations where the nanny can work at Mom’s house during Mom’s parenting time and at Dad’s house during Dad’s parenting time are the exception to the rule. One of you will probably need to hire a new nanny. Which nanny you choose is your business and your responsibility; remember this if your ex-spouse tries to find fault with your nanny; your ex only has a say about the nanny’s pay. As for choice of summer camps and extracurricular activities, your parenting plan outlines how to resolve disputes related to these parenting decisions.
Contact Schwartz | White About Childcare After Divorce
A South Florida family law attorney can help you reach an agreement with your spouse about paying for childcare when the children are sometimes with you and sometimes with your ex-spouse. Contact Schwartz | White in Boca Raton, Florida about your case.
Source:
ourfamilywizard.com/blog/child-care-decisions-co-parents
