Palatine Child Custody Attorneys

One of the hardest aspects of an Illinois divorce is deciding on parental rights. Rather than child custody and visitation, Illinois now refers to these matters as parental responsibilities and parenting time. When determining who will make decisions on behalf of your children, or where they will primarily reside, the courts will look at what is best for your children. It does not mean your input as a parent does not matter, but the court’s primary concern is deciding the best course of action to help your children flourish. Do not attempt to handle a custody battle on your own. Let the Palatine child custody attorneys at SLG Family Law help.

Allocating Parental Responsibilities

When the court decides how to divide parental responsibilities properly, they prefer to have both parents’ input on the most critical decisions in a child’s life. Those decisions include things like religion, medical care, education, extracurricular activities, and more. In most cases, the decision-making authority for these subjects will be divided equally. 

Day-to-day decision-making will differ because each parent will need to make those decisions when the children are physically present. Some of these decisions can include things like:

• Making sure your child’s nutritional needs are met;
• Ensuring your child attends school; 
• Disciplining your child as necessary;
• Caring for your children when they are sick or injured;
• Providing transportation to school and the other parent’s house;
• Helping with your child’s developmental needs;
• Ensuring your child attends all medical appointments and extracurricular activities; and
• Making sure your child is clean, groomed, and appropriately dressed.

Parenting Time Schedules

Parenting time refers to the allocation of time that each parent will spend with their child. Judges will only agree to parenting plans that consider your children’s best interests. When deciding whether to approve a parenting plan, the judge looks at factors like: 

• How far away do the parents live from each other;
• What is your child’s level of adjustment to the home they are currently living in;
• Which parent is primarily responsible for the majority of childcare;
• Whether there are siblings to consider;
• Each parent’s schedule;
• Whether the child has any special needs; and
• The mental health and physical well-being of all parties involved.

 When drafting a parenting time schedule, it is essential to provide as much detail as possible. This way, if there are any problems after the divorce, you may have an easier time proving to the court that your ex does not adhere to the agreement.

Contact Our Palatine Child Custody Attorneys

 Do not try to take on a child custody battle alone; let our experienced Palatine child custody attorneys help. Our legal team has decades of experience with divorce and family law matters. We can help you draft a parenting agreement that will stand up in court and help reduce your ex’s potential points of argument. Contact SLG Family Law today to learn more about how we can help.