Creating a Kentucky Visitation Schedule

It is essential that you become familiar with the laws regarding child custody when creating a child visitation schedule in Kentucky. This will ensure that your visitation schedule is in accordance with the law and adheres to the court's policies. You can find these laws in the Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 403.00. Here, you will see that Kentucky's primary concern is promoting and protecting the child's best interests. The court also considers the parents' and child's wishes as to custodianship. How the child adjusts to home, school and community is also considered by a Kentucky court. Other things the court considers are whether either parent has a history of violence or abuse, if there is anyone in the parents' lives who is registered as a sex offender and any other factors that may negatively affect the child.

It is best for parents to set their differences aside and work together as much as possible to make a Kentucky visitation schedule and it is certainly in the child's best interests. It is generally best for the child to have frequent and continuing contact with both parents. Even if joint custody is not shared, the non-custodial parent is entitled to reasonable visitation as long as it would not put the child in danger. When parents are willing to and actually do work together, they can evaluate their own schedules and the child's schedule to create a visitation schedule that is in the child's best interests.

A visitation schedule usually consists of three parts including:

• A regular schedule – This schedule dictates the times and days the child spends with each parent on a regular basis. It can be very basic or it can be complex depending on your situation. You may consider having your child live with you or the other parent during the week and have visits on the weekends. It may work to split weeks in half or alternate weeks.
• A holiday schedule – This schedule takes precedence over the regular schedule and shows where your child will spend holidays and other special days. You may choose to trade off each holiday and alternate them every year or you may choose to allocate the time that you feel will benefit your child most. Family traditions are important to consider when making the holiday schedule and other special days such as birthdays and religious holidays should be included.
• A vacation schedule – This schedule should include times when your child is not in school for winter, spring and summer breaks. This should also account for extended time when each parent has work vacation time. It is important to be flexible when making the vacation schedule because things come up and not all vacation time is foreseeable.

If you and the other parent cannot or will not reach an agreement concerning a visitation schedule, the court will do it for you. The court may also order an investigation and report regarding the custodial arrangements and rule as it sees fit. It is always better to compromise and reach an agreement for your child's sake.