by Travers & Travers | Sep 2, 2020 | Child Custody

If you share custody of your children with an ex-spouse, you want to minimize conflict as often as possible. Nevertheless, the location of the child custody exchange may be a source of contention.

When drafting your parenting plan or negotiating a custody agreement, you probably want to think about where to hand-off your kids at the end of your parenting time. Good exchange locations typically have three things in common.

1. Neutrality

Divorce can leave anyone with raw emotions. Still, arguing with your former spouse is probably not good for your kids. If you do not want to fight in front of your children, you probably should not exchange them at either your home or your ex-spouse’s. Instead, opt for a neutral site, such as your children’s school.

2. Convenience

Your kids are likely to have better post-divorce outcomes if they spend as much time as possible with each parent. Accordingly, you may want to take steps to shorten commute times. When picking a hand-off site, think about convenience. Selecting a spot that is equidistant between your home and your ex-spouse’s residence may be smart.

3. Safety

When exchanging your kids, you must always prioritize everyone’s safety. Meeting in a well-lit and public space probably makes sense. This is especially true if you have a history of friction with your child’s co-parent.

When choosing your hand-off location, you probably want to be flexible. After all, a place that is safe most of the year may be unacceptable during inclement weather, even if the spot is both neutral and convenient.