After a divorce, one or both parents will eventually move on and that may include finding a new partner, significant other, or even a new spouse. Moving on is a good thing, and although challenging at times, can be great for the children too. However, juggling court mandated parenting time when a new partner or new partners are involved could be challenging. Most parenting time lawyers in Chicago have dealt with different family configurations, and can help all parties including the children achieve their best interests and needs.
Whether or not to include a new partner or significant other is sometimes not even the real issue. A new partner or spouse means that the children will inevitably be spending more time with that person. The key is balancing the time spent with both parents in ways that work out for everyone, and because of the complex emotions involved in new partners and step-parenting, mediating conflict often proves too difficult to do without the help of a parenting time lawyer. Most people want to be able to work things out themselves, reaching civilized agreements, but the fact is that busy schedules, difficult emotions, and conflicts of interest will impede the ability to work out a solution to parenting time negotiation once a new partner is involved. A parenting time lawyer in Chicago is not a therapist and cannot replace the services thereof, but can offer practical and pragmatic solutions that can promote clear and constructive communication and conflict resolution.
The children’s voices will be taken into account, especially when they are older or more mature. While the new partner might not have legal rights per se, the primary parents do and when one or both parents have found a new partner or significant other, their wishes for the new partner to develop a strong bond with the child are valid. At the same time, the wishes of both parents to provide ongoing love, support, and stability remain foremost for the parenting time lawyer.
