Imagine being a parent who has to work 60-hour weeks. You may not have much time to spend with your child, even if you want to. As a parent who has divorced your child’s other parent, you are on a set custody schedule. You see your child a few times a week, but it’s not as much as you’d like.
Then, out of the blue, you lose your job. You’re able to find something new that has a slightly different schedule and that works you less, so you have more time. Can you seek an adjustment to your custody schedule and increase your parenting time?
If your schedule changes, a custody modification could be a good option
It may be beneficial for you to speak with the other parent about the option of changing your custody schedule if you suddenly have a change in your work responsibilities. The other parent may appreciate you being able to take an additional day or two of custody during the week so that they can work later or take additional projects.
Depending on your situation, the other parent may also be happy to allow your child to spend more time with you and to adjust the custody arrangements to fit your new situation. This is more likely if you have a positive coparenting relationship.
What should you do if the other parent doesn’t want to adjust the custody schedule?
To start with, think about the schedule and if it’s reasonable to want to change it. Will this be beneficial for your child? Does it help make the schedule easier, or does it make it harder for the other parent?
You should go over your new schedule with your coparent to discuss if a change would be possible without negatively impacting your child’s life or their set schedule. If they are unwilling to discuss changes or refuse to hear you out, then you may want to consider filing for a custody modification in court and asking a judge to weigh in with their opinion. If you want to see your child more and are making an effort to do so, that’s something that should be taken into consideration.