New Mexico Custody Schedule

New Mexico custody schedules are a snap to
setup with Custody X Change.

Separated or divorcing parents need to decide how the mother and father will share the time with the children. The best way to do this is by creating a custody, or parenting time, schedule that outlines when the child is with each parent and including the schedule in the custody agreement or parenting plan. The task of setting up a custody schedule is very important because it dictates the amount of time you will have with the children until the children are adults. Here is some information to help Alabama parents create a child custody schedule.

How to Make a Custody Schedule

A good, complete custody schedule has the following components: the repeating cycle of custody and visitation, the holiday schedule, vacation time, and special events. You should also consider adding provisions into the agreement that help your schedule work better.

The Repeating Cycle of Custody and Visitation

• This is the basic schedule of custody and visitation and it allocates the weekday and weekend time between the parents.
• If one parent has sole physical custody the children will live with that parent and visit the other parent.
• If parents have joint physical custody they usually split the time more evenly.
• Map out a schedule for a few weeks that shows when your child will be with each parent. Then, repeat this schedule throughout the year.

The Holiday Schedule

• This is the schedule that shows where the children will be on the holidays.
• Come up with a list of holidays you want to include in the schedule. Along with national holidays, you can include religious, school, and special family events in the holiday schedule.
• Go through the holidays and determine when the holiday starts and when it ends. For example, the holiday of Thanksgiving may extend through the four day weekend, or it could only be one day.
• You can also split some holidays in half so the child spends some time with both parents.
• Once the length is determined, the holidays should be equally distributed between the mother and father.
• You and the other parent can then decide how to alternate the holidays over the years.

Vacation Time

• You can schedule time for each parent to take the children on vacation by putting a specified or unspecified vacation into the custody schedule.
• A specified vacation gives the exact dates when the mother and father can take the children on vacation.
• An unspecified vacation puts a clause into the custody agreement or parenting plan that says the mother and father can take the children for so many days of the year provided they give enough notice to the other parent. An example of that would be "The mother and father can take the children for up to seven days twice a year for vacation. They must notify the other parent thirty days in advance in order to take the children."
• You can also make an alternative repeating cycle for vacation time. For example, a child may spend more time living with a non-custodial parent during summer and winter break.

Special Events

• A special event is any situation where the normal custody schedule changes. For example, a child may participate in a sport that has weekly games in the fall. During the season, you can switch the day or times of visitation to accommodate the games.
• Including special events in the calendar as soon as you know about them can make the schedule more clear.

Provisions that Affect the Custody Schedule

• Provisions are rules or stipulations that the parents agree to follow about different aspects of the custody situation.
• Provisions in the agreement can help the custody schedule run more smoothly. You should think about some provisions that can enhance you schedule and put them in the plan.
• Some example provisions include: how you and the other parent will make changes to the schedule, right of first refusal (the other parent gets the first chance to have the children if the parent who has custody can't take them), how to handle babysitters during parenting time, transportation for the exchanges of the child, etc.

Specific Information About New Mexico Schedules

• New Mexico law presumes that a joint child custody schedule is in the best interest of the child.
• If a mother or father wants the court to accept a sole custody schedule, she/he needs to prepare evidence to show why that type of schedule is in the best interest of the child.
• A joint custody schedule doesn't mean that parents need to have exactly half of the time with the child. Parents should aim to arrange a schedule that allows the mother and father to both have enough time with the child to continue to develop a meaningful relationship with him/her and to have opportunities to be involved in the child's life.
• When creating the schedule, the parents should think about the wishes of the child and the parents, the current relationship between the child and each parent, the health of the parents and the child, and how well the child adjusts to new situations. The judge will consider these factors when determining if a schedule is the best one for a child.

How Custody X Change can Help

Custody X Change is custody software that lets you create a custody agreement or parenting plan. Since the custody schedule is such a major part of the agreement, with the software you can easily make each component of the schedule. This allows you to have a custom custody schedule that fits the needs of your child.

• Start building your schedule by creating a repeating cycle of custody. You can choose from a list of common cycles (alternating weeks, alternating weekends, alternating weekends with an overnight visit, etc.) or create a new, unique cycle.
• Look through a comprehensive list of holidays and choose what to include in your holiday schedule. Simply check the holidays you want (holidays can be added as well), set the times the holiday starts and ends, and assign the holidays to the mother and father.
• Add a specified or unspecified vacation to the schedule and custody agreement, and create different schedules for extended vacation periods (like summer break).
• View the exact time-share percentage that each parent has with the children. This helps you know exactly how much time you have with the children, and it helps you adjust the schedule to meet your needs.
• Easily make changes to the calendar by adding special events when the custody changes.
• Include important provisions in your agreement that impact the schedule. For example, you can include rules about transportation between exchanges, how the child's extra events will be handled, child care issues, etc.
• Print the documents for your schedule and your custody agreement. The documents include a calendar of the schedule, a written report of the schedule, a timeshare percentage report, and your included provisions.
• Track your custody schedule after you set it up. You can enter in the actual time of visitation, write notes about what happens during visitation, and print a report that shows the difference between scheduled and actual parenting time.
• Export all of your calendar and agreement information to Word, PDF, and Excel.
• Sync the calendar of your schedule to your Blackberry, iPhone, Palm/PDA, Outlook, Google Calendar, Yahoo Calendar, Windows Live, etc.

Custody X Change Helps Parents in New Mexico

• Look at options for the custody and visitation schedule and make a joint custody schedule to go in the parenting plan.
• Include provisions for the plan that clarify details and make the plan better fit the needs of the child.
• Ease conflict when working with the other parent to make a joint parenting plan.
• Show multiple example plans at mediation or when meeting with the other parent.
• Prepare and present a plan in court and use the documents to show why it is in the child's best interest.
• Make a sole custody schedule and plan and use the documents to show the court why it is in the best interest of the child.
• Save money in legal fees by creating the plan on your own or with the other parent.
• Determine the right amount of child support using the accurate timeshare percentage calculation.
• Keep a custody journal about visitation and other matters.
• Track the actual amount of parenting time so you know the schedule is being followed.
• Easily make changes to the plan as the child grows older and the needs change.
• Settle the custody matters so you can enjoy your time with the children.

You can get a free thirty day trial of Custody X Change by entering your name and email at the top of the page. Join the others in New Mexico who have found the easy way to make the best child custody schedule.

The top thirteen cities in New Mexico (by population, US Census Bureau, 2008) are: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Roswell, Farmington, South Valley, Alamogordo, Clovis, Hobbs, Carlsbad, Gallup, Deming.

Additional state custody schedule articles you might want to consider:

• Arizona Child Custody Schedule
• California Child Custody Schedule
• Florida Child Custody Schedule
• Georgia Child Custody Schedule
• Illinois Child Custody Schedule
• Massachusetts Child Custody Schedule
• Michigan Child Custody Schedule
• New Jersey Child Custody Schedule
• New York Child Custody Schedule
• North Carolina Child Custody Schedule
• Ohio Child Custody Schedule
• Pennsylvania Child Custody Schedule
• Texas Child Custody Schedule
• Virginia Child Custody Schedule
• Washington Child Custody Schedule

Two related article (not state-specific): Child Custody Schedule and Joint Child Custody.

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