Setting up a parenting plan or reaching a custody agreement requires predictability. You have to know your schedule, your co-parent’s schedule and your children’s schedules in order to create a plan that will work for your family.
When you have a very demanding and unpredictable job, making a parenting plan can become that much harder. Professional athletes and others who work long hours and have unpredictable schedules may not be able to commit to a specific co-parenting schedule. Instead, they will need flexibility as they try to fulfill their parental obligations.
You may have to accept a certain number of days and plan as you go
For many families, the easiest way to split up custody is to use a system, like alternating weeks or splitting weeks in half between parents. That way, there is a standard schedule that everyone can refer to. A basic schedule means there is little confusion about who has responsibility on any given day.
If you don’t know what your work schedule will be like from week to week or in a few months, committing to that kind of schedule won’t make sense. You may not be able to take parenting responsibilities for three days straight every week. Instead, your custody agreement might reflect the percentage of parenting time you should have.
Close communication with your co-parent will allow you to spend the appropriate amount of time with your children once you know the work-related obligations you have. If you work together, you can make parenting time work around your schedule and arrange to make up any missed time due to work obligations.