Child Care Agreements is very important for working parents. Child Care Agreements is a document that spells out what can not be done with your child (including medical care, school activities, religion, etc). Child Care Agreements is not something you create, you make them. If you don’t have them, or if you don’t know how to make them, there are resources available that can help you get them.
Many working parents have a difficult time keeping track of the number of hours their children are spent with their nannies or babysitters. This is because we all have life’s little quirks that become frustrating when they are out of our control. For example, we might have forgotten that the child was supposed to eat lunch at school, but had it waited until after we had lunch. Or, we may have forgotten that a child has to go to a designated event like piano practice or soccer practice once a week but didn’t make sure the date is convenient for us. These scenarios happen all the time and leave working parents scrambling to figure out how to fit in all the care and work necessary for their kids.
Child Care Agreements is best made with the assistance of an attorney who specializes in family law. It is best to use a lawyer who specializes in child support issues, since these tend to be the areas where parents most often differ. This makes it easier to get things worked out, since they know exactly how the law works and will be able to cut through the technicalities and get to the heart of the matter.
Most child care agreements are usually simple, covering basic matters such as whose responsibilities the child will be responsible for (i.e. day care, tutoring, and transportation) and what type of visitation (cute baby sitting, attending church with friends, etc.). It may also include a parenting plan, which outlines how the parents will handle any issues that arise between the parents, including any changes in circumstances (i.e. moving, new job, school, etc.)
One important factor is that if the parents live near each other, they can actually each take turns with doing the chores around the house while the other one stays at work and takes care of the children. This helps both parents get some work done while the other is at work. If you can agree on the amount of money you both need, this could be a great solution. In some states, the working parent can take a percentage of that paycheck, and it doesn’t count as work towards child care obligations. Alternatively, you may want to look for flexible solutions such as hiring an au pair (see this website to learn how), who would live with your family to take care of your children. This allows both parents to maintain their work and social schedules without compromising child care.
If this isn’t possible, or if neither parent is financially or physically able to shoulder the responsibility, there are other options. Many states have child care programs set up by social workers or childcare providers. Some require that the child care participants are from a low-income family and may require some type of financial support from either parent. In many situations, it is simply a matter of setting up time for the child to go to care for their parent. If you and your spouse can work together on this, it can help make things easier for everyone.