Successful post-divorce contact schedules need to be based on the children’s ages because each age group has its own needs. Your Orange County child custody lawyer can provide you with help in developing a contact schedule that is specifically tailored to your child’s age group.
Infants and Babies Up to 18 Months Old
Contacts with infants and babies under 18 months of age should be as frequent as possible. In addition, the environment at each parents’ house should be as identical as possible. The reason for this is that children in this age group need to have familiarity with their surroundings in order to feel secure. This means having the same schedules for feeding, bath time, and bed-time, and even the same caretaker at each parents’ house.
Toddlers 18 Months to 3 Years of Age
Children in this age group will also need similar environments. More importantly, however, they need to have the same structure in both homes, especially with regard to development changes such as toilet training.
Preschoolers Age 3 to 5
Your Orange County child custody lawyer will advise you that this age group, as with the two discussed above, also needs stability and minimal change. However at this older age, contact does not need be as frequent. Children can change homes every two weeks or even do a split-year plan.
Contact Us
For more information about developing a contact schedule for your children based on their ages, call Orange County child custody lawyer Bethanie Fanti at 714-505-3108.