North Carolina married couples who have children really have their work cut out for them if they decide to file for divorce. No matter what issues have transpired between spouses, good parents want what is best for their kids. If the two parents in question happen to disagree on important issues such as child custody, visitation or child support, legal problems can arise that are difficult to resolve. That is why it is best to try to avoid contentious disputes about children in divorce.

Fighting over parenting time is a problem many divorced parents say keeps them from moving on in life in a peaceful manner. The more thorough parents are in writing out terms of an agreement, the less room there is for confusion or dispute. It is also a good idea to periodically review a plan and to take proper legal steps as necessary to request modification if an existing plan is no longer working.

Many parents are satisfied with their written and signed co-parenting agreements but run into trouble on a more personal level. For instance, if one parent keeps pitting the kids against the other or is using the children as messengers to avoid interaction with a co-parent, it can spark high levels of stress. The written plan can come in handy for these types of problems as well because parents can agree in writing to keep child-related issues between themselves as adults.

A North Carolina divorce does not mean parents should expect perfection regarding their child custody plan. Life often includes unexpected changes and issues that necessitate re-negotiating an agreement or even returning to court. If the latter is necessary, it is helpful to seek support ahead of time from an experienced family law attorney who knows how to protect parental rights and advocate for the best interests of children.