While a divorce is typically difficult for the children involved, it can be made easier if the parents maintain a civil relationship. Child visitation rights give each parent the right to spend time with their child. If parents cannot agree on a reasonable visitation schedule, the family court judge will make one, keeping each parent's child visitation rights in mind. However, it is preferable that the parents come up with their own visitation arrangement. In fact, a parent's willingness to be flexible and cooperate are highly regarded by a judge in family court.
Child visitation rights were devised so that both parents can participate in their child's life despite the dissolution of their marriage. If parents wish to design their own flexible visitation schedule, a suggested first step is the participation of a rational discussion regarding their respective needs, as well as the needs of their child. Keeping each other's work schedules in mind is important when creating a flexible schedule. Each parent should voice their concerns and suggestions about how a particular schedule might affect the children. While a parent almost always has child visitation rights, the most important thing to keep in mind when making a schedule is that it should be in the best interest of the child, not the parent.
Some conflicts may be unavoidable, but each parent should try to respect the other's child visitation rights. A parent's child visitation right can usually only be taken away by the courts if the parent is determined to be unfit and detrimental to child's mental or physical well being. Parents who respect each other, as well as each other's schedules can make a child feel more comfortable with the visitation. A visitation schedule should allow for a child to have quality time with each parent. If one parent works nights, then a desired schedule may allow for that parent to pick their child up from school in order to spend time with them; parents should try to be flexible when they create a visitation schedule.
Parents are urged to remember that their child's happiness is the most important thing to consider when designing a custody schedule. If the parents are willing to be flexible and respect each others child visitation rights, then they have a better chance of creating a child visitation schedule that meets the needs of everyone involved.