Developing a custody schedule can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. You and your children’s other parent are having a hard time because of how your schedules conflict, and that means that there will be days when your children won’t have anyone to care for them.
In that situation, there are a few options you can consider. You can look for third parties to take care of your children when you’re both unable to. Some people who you may want to ask include:
- Grandparents
- Aunts or uncles
- Adult siblings of minor children
- Local babysitters
- Employers who may offer day care services
- Schools and employees there who may have information on afterschool programs for children whose parents are still working
Here’s an example: If you and your spouse work jobs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but your children’s school gets out at 3:30 p.m., you need someone to watch them for around two hours, so that you can have enough time to finish your work and pick them up. Schools sometimes have afterschool programs that last for two or three hours, like a school club. While you’re working, your children can go to this program and be monitored by school personnel until you can come to pick them up.
Another option would be to have the evening bus drop your children off at their grandparents’ home or to have someone in the family pick them up. So long as you and your spouse agree on those involved in your children’s lives, this could be a great way to work out gaps in the custody schedule.
