Sharing custody and exercising parenting time following a split up is sometimes a frustrating  process. It does not have to be that way. Decent folks come to the conclusion they cannot get along, and  split up, but their children don’t have to suffer. Normalcy for the child is the goal. Remaining the decent  folks you know yourselves to be is expected. Not making the children a battlefield is critical. 

I have tried to make the Parenting Guidelines simpler to follow by putting together a series of short  memos with helpful hints on how to conduct parenting time and exchanges. The second part of the  series focuses on communication with third parties.  

1. Parents should obtain and share information about their children. Each parent is responsible to  establish a relationship with the child’s school, health care providers, other service providers,  coaches, tutors, the parents of best friends, and anyone else who interacts with the child on a  consistent basis.  
2. Both parents are entitled to direct access to their child’s school records, medical records, dental  records, and mental health records, unless there is a court order to the contrary.  Notwithstanding, releases may have to be signed allowing the noncustodial parent access, and if  this is required, the custodial parent is expected to secure the noncustodial parent’s access.  
3. It is best not to rely on the other parent to gather all the information and then share it. The  relationship is built with third parties when it is established by the person who wants the  contact. The third parties should meet each of the parents and feel comfortable exchanging  information about the child. 
4. A parent should not interfere or sabotage a relationship the other parent wants to have with a  third party or with a parent’s participation as a volunteer in any of the child’s activities. Where  parents are invited to attend, both parents should attend. 
5. The noncustodial parent shall be listed as an emergency contact, unless there are special  circumstances restricting the non-custodial parent’s contact with the child. 
6. It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure the child’s normalcy is not interfered with,  simply because the parents are no longer together. As activities arise, each parent shall  promptly notify the other parent of all information about school activities, concerts, camps,  games, practices, meetings, conferences, etc. The parent with knowledge of the event should  promptly inform the other parent of the date, time, place, and event. A child should not be  denied the right to participate in an activity because a parent cannot attend. Similarly, the  exercise of parenting time is not an excuse to vary the child’s routine and deny the child the  opportunity to participate in an activity, including practices and rehearsals. The parent  exercising parenting time shall be responsible for transporting the child to school related  activities.  
7. If the child is taking medication, or under a health care directive, the custodial parent shall  provide the noncustodial parent with a sufficient amount of medication and instructions  whenever the noncustodial parent is exercising parenting time. Be sure to ask the pharmacy for  two separate bottles for any prescription medication, as it is a criminal risk to have any  controlled drug without the accompanying proof of a prescription. A person may be arrested

and face criminal charges, with the burden to ultimately prove a valid prescription exists before  charges will be dismissed.  

8. Parents shall exchange information on any evaluation, treatment, or procedure the child  undergoes.  
9. A parent who has insurance coverage on the child shall supply the other parent with current  insurances cards, an explanation of benefits, and a list of insurer-approved or HMO-qualified  health care providers in the area where each parent lives.  
10. If the insurance company requires specific forms, the insured parent shall provide those forms  to the other parent.  

Stay tuned for more helpful hints on how to make parenting time and exchanges go more smoothly.  In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding your Parenting Time, you may contact me.