Now it’s time to work on your Parenting Plan. On the next page, there is a Parenting Plan worksheet for you to complete.

A Parenting Plan is a practical document that describes parenting arrangements. The plan should be created in the best interests of the children. Your plan will help you to make decisions about child support, time-sharing arrangements, communicating with your former partner and more.

Use the worksheet provided to create a plan for your separation. As you fill in your plan, write what you feel is best for the children – without considering what the other parent will agree to. This will help you to clearly see what you want. Use the PAS Handbook, to guide you.  Completing the Parenting Plan may take some time to complete, but it is well worth doing before you talk to your former partner, a mediator, a family justice counselor or a lawyer.

Once you are done, save the document. In time, you will find that is it helpful to review the document and to add more detailed information. As you review your Parenting Plan, consider what your former spouse might want and think about areas you are willing to compromise to reach an agreement.  In Section 5: The New Parental Relationship, you will learn some negotiation skills that can help you and your former partner to reach agreement on a Parenting Plan.

If you have any questions about any of the information you covered in Section 2, please write them in the Question / Comment Box for the facilitator to answer. It may take a week to receive a response.