Parents who are separating often have many questions about their rights and what the future will look like. One of the most common questions is “how much parenting time do I get?” Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. In Ontario, family law courts make decisions about parenting time on a case-by-case basis.
The amount of parenting time you have will depend on a number of factors, including your child’s needs, your work schedule, and how close you live to your ex-partner. The court will also consider any history of abuse or violence in making its decision. In this blog post, we’ll dive deeper into these factors and give you some insight into how the court decides who gets how much parenting time.
How Much Parenting Time Do You Get?
In Ontario, family law courts make decisions about parenting time on a case-by-case basis. The amount of parenting time you have will depend on a number of factors, including your child’s needs, your work schedule, and how close you live to your ex-partner. The court will also consider any history of abuse or violence in making its decision.
Here are some common parenting arrangements:
- 50/50 parenting arrangement: In a 50/50 parenting arrangement, both parents share equally in the responsibility for making decisions about the child’s care and upbringing. This includes decisions about education, health care, and extracurricular activities. Parents who choose a 50/50 arrangement typically live close to each other so that their child can easily move between homes.
- 60/40 parenting arrangement: In a 60/40 parenting arrangement, one parent has 60% of the parenting time and the other parent has 40% of the parenting time. This arrangement is often used when one parent works full-time and the other parent works part-time or is a stay-at-home parent. It can also be used when one parent lives far away from the other parent.
- 70/30 parenting arrangement: In a 70/30 parenting arrangement, one parent has 70% of the parenting time and the other parent has 30% of the parenting time. This type of arrangement is often used when one parent works full-time and the other parent works part-time or is a stay-at-home parent. It can also be used when one parent lives far away from the other parent.
Key Considerations for Parenting Time
There are a few key considerations that the Ontario Family Court takes into account when deciding who gets how much parenting time. These include:
- The needs of the children: The court will always put the best interests of the children first when making decisions about parenting time. The court will consider things like which home is more stable for the children, whether both parents are involved in their lives, and which parent can provide more support to meet the children’s needs.
- The work schedules of the parents: If both parents work full-time, the court may award more parenting time to the parent with a more flexible work schedule. This is because it may be difficult for both parents to juggle work and child-rearing responsibilities if they do not have flexible work schedules.
- The proximity of the homes: If one parent lives far away from the other parent, it may be difficult for them to have equal amounts of parenting time . In these cases, the court may award more parenting time to the parent who lives closer to the children’s school or daycare .
- Any history of abuse or violence: If there is any history of abuse or violence by either parent , this will be taken into consideration by the court . The safety of both parents and children is always paramount .
Conclusion:
If you’re separated from your partner and wondering how much access you’ll have to your children , it’s important to know that there is no one – size – fits – all answer . The amount of access you have will depend on several factors , including your child ‘s needs , your work schedule , and where you live in relation to your ex – partner . The Ontario Family Court always puts the best interests of the children first when making decisions about parental access , so if you’re concerned about what ‘ s best for your kids , be sure to mention that to the judge .