A regular parenting schedule answers what happens during an ordinary school week. It does not necessarily answer what happens at Christmas, during March Break, on a child's birthday or when one parent wants to take two weeks of summer vacation. Those exceptions are worth addressing directly. There is no single arrangement that works for every family. The schedule should reflect the child's best interests, the family's traditions and the practical circumstances of both househo

A parenting plan should do more than say when the children are with each parent. A useful plan explains how parenting will work after separation. That can include the regular schedule, holidays, important decisions, communication, travel, exchanges, extracurricular activities and what happens when circumstances change. A parenting plan is a written document setting out how separated parents will care for their children and make important decisions about them. There is no sing

A parenting schedule tells parents when the child is with each of them. It does not necessarily explain how the parents will exchange school information, report a medical issue, respond to a request, communicate about an extracurricular activity or handle an urgent change. That is where a communication clause can help. A useful parenting plan does not need to dictate every conversation between separated parents. But it can establish enough structure that routine communication