Plenty of different situations can strain co-parenting arrangements. Many parents have a hard time putting their wishes aside and focusing on what is best for their children. Parents might find themselves disagreeing about how to make modifications to their schedule or important decisions on behalf of their children.
Sometimes, issues are serious enough to raise questions about whether the current custody order actually meets the family’s needs. One parent may disrupt everyone’s schedules by constantly showing up late for their parenting time or showing up late for exchanges and delaying the beginning of the other parent’s time with the children.
Parents dealing with scheduling non-compliance may need to take action to address the situation so that they receive their parenting time as they should.
Regular tardiness and cancellations are an issue
Every parent occasionally encounters circumstances that may impact their schedule with their children. Small disruptions to the household schedule and occasional delays do not generally warrant aggressive action. However, repeated cancellations and late arrivals can unfairly diminish the time one parent has with the children or put a lot of pressure on their schedule, as well as their finances. When there is a pattern of cancellations and late arrivals, the other parent may need to keep thorough documentation.
Keeping records of every canceled and disrupted parenting session can show a pattern of behavior. Proving a pattern is often critical when seeking custody order enforcement.
How can judges help?
A parent losing time with their children because the other is always late or canceling sessions can ask for enforcement support. A judge can order makeup parenting time and even impose penalties on the parent who destabilizes the custody schedule.
In cases where one parent shows up late for their own time or cancels their own parenting sessions, enforcement may not be the right approach. Instead, a judge may consider modifying the custody order. They can reduce the allocation of parenting time to better reflect when one parent shows up for their children. Doing so can have a ripple effect that influences other parental responsibilities, including financial support obligations.
While judges want to keep both parents as actively involved as possible, they also want to minimize disruptions and conflict that can be damaging for the children. Children may feel rejected when their parents don’t show up for their parenting time. They may feel stressed about the sudden adjustments necessary due to late arrivals and other complications.
Understanding the options available when a co-parent is not reliable about shared parenting time can help people navigate complicated custody disputes. Frustrated parents may have the right to request custody modifications or enforcement actions depending on the conduct of the other parent at issue.