Agreeing on Parental Responsibilities

 Posted on June 10, 2024 in Child Custody

Parental responsibilities refer to the collection of decision-making duties that used to be called legal custody in Illinois. Most, but not all parents share parental responsibilities after divorce and have an easier time allocating these decision-making responsibilities than allocating parenting time. The decisions you will need to make for your child include how to educate her, whether to provide religious training and what type of medical and mental health care she should receive. When these parental responsibilities are shared, you and your ex-spouse will need to communicate with each other on a continuing basis to resolve any disagreements. A Wheaton, IL divorce and child custody attorney can help you create a successful parenting plan.

Allocating Parental Decision-Making Duties in Mediation

Your mediator’s job is to help you come to an agreement, while your attorney will work to ensure that any decisions made are in your child’s best interests and in accordance with your legal rights. A few tips for reaching an agreement include:

• Identify your common ground - Spouses who are getting divorced often disagree on many things. However, you likely have some common beliefs or opinions about how to raise your child. Start by making a list of things you know you can agree on. For example, you might both be from the same religion or agree that keeping your son in the private school he is doing well in is the best option. 
• Consider your priorities - Think about the types of decisions you are and are not willing to compromise on. Communicate your top priorities to your attorney in advance so she can help plan to put those issues first. It is also good to identify parenting decisions you would like to see made in your favor but are willing to let your spouse make if you are able to make the decisions that are more important to you. For example, are you willing to let your spouse try homeschooling your child if you are able to keep taking her to your church? 
• Realistically consider your ability to cooperate - If you are going to share certain decisions, you must take into account how well you will be able to cooperate when it comes to making those decisions in the future. If you both retain the right to consent to medical treatment, will you be able to calmly discuss whether a certain treatment is right for your child during a stressful moment? Would your spouse go behind your back to subject your child to a medical procedure you would want to talk to the doctor about first? 

Contact a DuPage County, IL Parenting Plan Attorney

Andrew Cores Family Law Group is committed to helping parents create plans that will help them successfully co-parent after divorce. Experienced Wheaton, IL parenting plan lawyer Andy Cores currently serves as a Fellow for the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois and is highly skilled at guiding parents through mediation. Contact us at 630-871-1002 for a complimentary consultation.