Responsibilities

1. Keep Children Out of the Middle:

• Both parents should refrain from using their children as messengers for adult matters, such as financial or visitation issues.
• Avoid asking children to report on the other parent's life to prevent loyalty conflicts.

2. Establish Effective Communication:

• Create a workable means of communication about child-related matters.
• Communicate in a business-like manner and agree on the time, place, and manner of communication.
• Share important contact information, addresses, and phone numbers with each other or a mutually agreed-upon third party.

3. Resolve Conflict Quickly:

• Work together to resolve conflicts promptly to prevent negative impacts on the child's emotional well-being.
• Seek mediation, legal advice, or assistance from relevant professionals when necessary.

4. Separate Visitation and Child Support:

• Do not withhold visitation or child support payments as a means of retaliation.
• Seek legal means, such as mediation or consultation with attorneys, to address visitation and support disputes.

5. Respect Parent-Child Relationships:

• Encourage and support the child's relationship with the other parent.
• Avoid scheduling activities that conflict with the other parent's visitation time.

6. Facilitate Transition:

• Understand and address the child's anxieties about transitioning between homes.
• Assure the child of both parents' love and involvement.
• Create a visual calendar for younger children to help them understand the schedule.

7. Encourage Communication:

• Encourage telephone calls, letters, emails, and other forms of communication between the child and the other parent.
• Support the child's right to send and receive items, cards, and messages.

8. Establish Similar Routines:

• Maintain similar routines for mealtime, bedtime, and homework in both households.
• Accept that differences exist in each parent's parenting style, and allow for some flexibility.

9. Provide Child's Belongings:

• Ensure that the child's essential belongings, including clothing, medication, and personal items, travel between homes.

10. Support Extended Family Ties:

• Arrange for the child to visit extended family members on both sides to maintain important family ties.

11. Facilitate Temporary Schedule Adjustments:

• Give advance notice and work together to accommodate temporary schedule adjustments due to family emergencies, illness, or special events.
• Schedule an alternate visitation time as soon as possible.

12. Accommodate Vacation Plans:

• Recognize the importance of both parents having vacation time with the child.
• Schedule vacations to minimize interference with the other parent's time and the child's schedule.
• Prioritize vacation time over regular visitation unless specified by court order or agreement.

13. Establish a Routine for Pick-up and Drop-off:

• Agree on the responsible party for picking up and dropping off the child and determine the location.
• Be punctual and prepared for these transitions.
• Maintain clear boundaries during the exchange and take necessary safety precautions.

By adhering to these responsibilities and expectations, both custodial and non-custodial parents can contribute to the success of supervised visitation, minimize stress on the child, and foster a healthy co-parenting environment.