Parents often want to spend as much time as possible with their children, but that’s difficult when they’re no longer in a relationship with the child’s other parent. Instead of being able to see their children when they want, each parent has to abide by the parenting time schedule.
Some parenting time schedules include the right of first refusal, which is a clause that allows one parent to care for the child before the other parent can hire a babysitter or third-party to care for them. This can be mutually beneficial because the parent who has the child doesn’t have to pay for childcare, and the other parent gets to spend extra time with the child.
How does the right of first refusal work?
When the parent who has the child realizes that they’re going to need someone to care for the child, they have to contact the other parent to see if they’re able to watch the child. This conversation should happen as soon as the parent realizes they will need care. The parent who’s being asked to watch the child should give an answer within a reasonable amount of time.
In some cases, the terms of the right of first refusal set a minimum time limit for the time that the parent would need childcare. For example, they may decide that there’s a two-hour minimum, so the parent would only have to ask the other parent if they need childcare for at least two hours.
While this idea seems simple, disagreements can arise over details, so it’s important to have everything spelled out clearly in the parenting plan. It may be beneficial to work with someone who’s familiar with parenting plans so they can assist you with the wording and ensure everything reflects the current agreement.