Parenting after divorce

1. Is there a required parenting class after divorce? All parents seeking a divorce in Oregon who have at least one minor child must take a three- or four-hour parenting class. If you have only adult children, or you have minor children but none of them are the product of your current marriage, the class is not required. Each county does their class differently. Some are a series of hour-long classes. Others are a one-time, half-day class. The fee is usually around $150, and whether you can attend with your ex or must attend on your own is up to each county to decide. While you don’t need to have completed the parenting class when you file for divorce, you do need your certificate of completion by the time you finalize your divorce.

2. How long does a parenting plan last? A parenting plan is indefinite unless you’ve put a fixed duration on it. If you don’t provide in your agreement how you will revise the plan, it will remain in effect even after its provisions don’t seem effective. A parenting plan tends to be revised about half as often as you buy new clothes for your kids—frequently for younger children and less often for older children or teens. Your divorce agreement should specify the duration of the parenting plan.

3. How do you change your parenting plan? You can either agree privately to modify your parenting plan by mutual agreement, or you can, as a last resort, go to court for a modification. Whoever helped facilitate your divorce, whether a lawyer or a mediator, can also assist you in changing your parenting plan. Your divorce agreement should specify how you will go about changing your plan and the steps you will undertake as you do.

4. How do you know what will work before you try it? Should you involve your kids in forming your parenting plan? By involving your kids, and specifying in your divorce agreement how you have, you will anticipate any red flags they may raise that will hinder the parenting plan or its implementation in the future.