Custody Agreements for Teenagers

How do I make a custody agreement for my teenager?

You can write up your own custody agreement (on your own or with the other parent) or you can work with a lawyer or legal professional and have them create it. If you don't want to pay the high cost of a lawyer, and want to easily make your own agreement, you can use the Custody X Change software.

What should I include in my custody agreement?

When creating a custody agreement for a teenager, your plan should contain the same components that any good custody plan would:

• A declaration as to what type of custody each parent shall have
• A statement that delegates parental decision-making authority
• A child visitation schedule that includes provisions for holidays and vacations
• Methods for periodically reviewing the plan, modifying the plan, and resolving disputes
• Any additional rules and stipulations you would like to include

When you use Custody X Change to create your custody agreement, you don't have to worry about leaving anything out since the software is designed to help you create a comprehensive parenting plan.

You simply navigate through each category and can then feel confident your custody agreement is thorough and complete.

How much input into the custody arrangements should my teenager have?

Most states have laws that permit older children to voice their custodial preferences privately to the judge. Some states allow children as young as 12 (but usually 13 or 14) to state their wishes.

The court will consider the wishes of the child when making a ruling. You should keep this in mind when creating your custody agreement, and you may want to discuss your child's wishes with him or her.

Your child should be prepared to provide reasons for their preferences. The child won't be permitted to make custody decisions based on whether or not it is "more fun" at one parent's house or in order to escape discipline or chores.

A judge will be able to ascertain whether or not there are valid reasons for a child's request and whether or not the decision is in the child's best interest.

Of course, don't push your child to participate in the case. Regardless of age, you are still the parents and retain control over custody decisions as long as both parents are in agreement.

Once you have decided on a custody arrangement, you share your Custody X Change visitation schedule with your teen so your they will always know when they are expected to be with each parent.

How can I keep my teen's schedule in sync with the custody schedule?

Teenagers are busy. They have school, extracurricular activities, friends and, oftentimes, jobs.

It can be difficult to keep up with the plans of any teenager. When the child has two homes, it becomes even harder to keep tabs on them.

It's important to stick to the schedule, but you can still be flexible with it. If parenting time begins at 6 p.m. but the child has basketball practice until 6:30, you should adjust the schedule accordingly. You can add the missed time on to the end of the visit or make up for it some other way.

If your teen has a job, you may find that both parents miss out on spending time with the child. They come home from school, get ready for work and may head out the door before you even get home.

It may help to get your child's work schedule in advance or see if they can have a set work schedule. This will make it easier to plan parenting time.

Regardless of how busy your teen may be, keep in mind that your child still needs both parents and you should make time to spend with him or her.

If you feel you are not being given the allotted time with your child, use Custody X Change to track your actual parenting time and to document events in a parenting journal. Both tools generate reports that you can use to prove your point to your child, the other parent, a mediator or even a judge.

What are some ways I can stay involved in my teenager's life?

Whether you have joint custody or there is a custodial and noncustodial parent, you both may be feeling as though you don't get to spend enough time with your busy teenager.

Just because your child seems to always be on the go doesn't mean that he or she doesn't need you anymore. In fact, teenagers need their parents more than ever (whether they would like to admit it or not).

Communication between parent and child is vital at any age. Even if you don't get to see your child every day, you can still check in with them, see how their day went and tell them you love them.

Fortunately, there many different kinds of technology you can utilize to keep in touch with your child on a daily basis.

You can talk, text, IM, video chat, email and use social media to communicate with your teenager.

You can easily establish a routine and keep the lines of communication between you and your child open.

You can use Custody X Change to put provisions in your custody agreement about communication with your child and about who will be responsible for paying for mobile phones and wireless plans.

The easiest way to make a custody agreement

Creating a custody agreement on your own can feel overwhelming. You have to be sure to use airtight legal language and can't omit any required information.

Use technology to take the guesswork out of the equation. The Custody X Change app walks you through each step of creating a comprehensive custody agreement.

The result is a professional document that demonstrates your competence as a parent and secures your child's future.

The easiest and most reliable way to make a custody agreement is with Custody X Change.