RSSParenting Time - Chicago Illinois Family Law Blog
Settling Holiday Custody Disagreements
Most divorced or separated couples that share children with someone else would like to spend the holidays with their offspring but not with one another. This can be difficult for many divorcing families as they try to navigate the new landscape of their lives. For some kids, it may mean spending Christmas with one parent and New Year’s with the other. Others may alternate every year. No matter the situation, trying to make the holidays special for your children is essential, even if it means spending time with your children during the holidays at times other than on the actual holiday. Whatever you do, try to put your children’s needs first during this time.
The Danger of Parental Alienation
Parental alienation is not uncommon after a divorce or separation. In fact, you may have seen it depicted in countless TV shows and movies. Sadly, this form of toxic parenting can destroy a relationship between child and parent, as well as leave the child in a damaged state of mind for potentially their entire life. If you are worried that your former spouse is trying to alienate you from your child, then you need to take action.
Why Illinois Switched to “Parenting Time”
Nikki, a woman in her 30s, had been dating her boyfriend, Michael, for a little over a year when they found out that Nikki was pregnant. The two determined that they would not get married, but both wanted to have the child. Healthy little Zoe was born nine months later to the happy parents and grandparents of the baby girl.
The Holidays and Child Allocation: Who Gets Parenting Time?
The holidays are for families to enjoy together, but if you and you partner have divorced and you do not have sole allocation, then parenting time may have been allotted by the court.
If you live in Illinois and have joint allocation of parenting time, you will both have information about your parenting time schedule in your Allocation Judgment of Parental Responsibilities. This document will include the following details:
Grandparents and Visitation – Rights or Privileges?
This is a frequent question that many families bring to our attention when going through, or shortly after, a divorce. What rights do grandparents have in regards to visitation? Are parents under any obligation to schedule out time for either set of grandparents to see their grandchildren? Unfortunately, the short answer is no – but there are plenty of caveats, with Illinois state code taking much into consideration. In the end, it comes down to the various ways in which the situation is being handled by the parent, as well as the mitigating and aggravating factors involved.
Illinois Visitation Rights — Modification of a Parenting Order
After a divorce, one parent is typically designated as the primary residential parent of the children, for purposes such as school district selection and mailing address. This is the parent with whom the children spend the majority of their time. That parent is from that time forward referred to as the “custodial parent.” “Visitation” rights, or the right to spend parenting time with the children, are then granted to the “noncustodial” parent, unless there are reasons for denying or supervising parenting time.
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