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Ok folks. Need to start taking a pole on some ideas traditional and non. Would love to come up with someI have to start thinking about what holiday custody, summer custody, and phone call/communication you all have in place. Working on a settlement with DB which is I know is not realistic for NPD but giving it a go. Would like to present some things other than "NO" to his idiotic proposals. He has to feel like he 'won' without him winning. Thanks for sharing!!

-fly

Kids are elementary age fyi

We have phone calls daily between 7pm -7:30 pm from other parent. Children can phone the other parent at any time.

(ex only calls maybe 1-3 times a week though)

We have half the school holidays, should the other parent be unavailable, I get to have the children, he has to let me know at the very latest 2 weeks prior to school holidays commencing. (ex is always conveniently "unavailable")

Christmas Eve/Day & Easter we alternate one has odd years, the other parent has even years. (Ex has chosen not to take the children on his designated year, last year).

I communicate via email with ex or (text if really necessary). If I talk to him in person or on the phone he comes increasingly angry and abusive. So I have the communication in writing.

These are things he fought for in mediation, although now 2 years later rarely takes his time with the children. I believe it was more about 'winning' for him rather then the kids. They know he is unreliable.

[This message edited by Bluebird26 at 11:12 PM, June 23rd (Sunday)]

Thank you guys. I have to start thinking of what this will look like for me and what I'm comfortable with. I Really need folks to post!

Here is my schedule during school year. I have two young kids (8 and 11). It is a two week schedule:

Week 1:

Sunday at 5 PM I pick up kids from her (receiving parent always picks up)

Monday I drop off at school and pick up and have them Monday night.

Tuesday I drop off at school. She picks up and has them Tuesday night.

Wednesday she drops off at school and I pick up and have them Wed night.

Thursday I drop off and she picks up and has them Thur night.

Friday she drops off and I pick up. I have them Fri, Sat nights.

Sun at 5 she picks up from me and has them Sun night. She drops off Mon morning.

From there schedule is same during week until Friday pick up when it is her weekend.

It looks confusing but it is actually pretty simple once in place. The kids are in a different house each night during the week which some people think is crazy nomadic. But they get to see both of us almost every day at some point.

Holidays are: We split the day on Christmas and New Years. Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day are flexible. Fathers Day I get them 9AM - 9PM regardless of who has custody. She has the same on Mothers Day.

Summer schedule is a bit trickier with there not being school to help the transition time. We keep the same days but you go to the receiving parents place the night before (to avoid early morning pickups during summer break).

Some people I know do the week on week off. Some have one parent keep kids all week and other parent gets weekends. Just depends on what works best for the whole family with respect to work schedules, activities, school, etc.

Good luck I hope this helps. If you need more detail just let me know.