Responsible parents know a great deal of effort goes into choosing childcare. Indeed, the person with whom you choose to leave your kids must keep them safe when you are not around. According to Psychology Today, your choice of babysitter also may affect your children’s emotional and psychological development.
Regardless of how your ex behaved during your marriage, he or she has taken a turn toward carelessness after your divorce proceedings started. If you worry your co-parent will ask an irresponsible or downright dangerous person to babysit, you may wonder whether you can veto your co-parent’s choice of childcare.
Your co-parent’s parenting time
If you share custody of your kids with your ex-spouse, he or she likely has broad authority during his or her parenting time. This means you probably must generally leave your ex alone and allow him or her to parent as he or she sees fit. This includes allowing your ex to pick the babysitter during his or her parenting time.
Your custody agreement
If you think your former partner’s choice of childcare will harm your kids in some way, you may want to put a first right of refusal into your custody agreement. This straightforward provision simply requires your ex to ask you to watch your children before asking anyone else. If you are unwilling or unable to babysit, your ex then can ask someone else to do it.
Ultimately, by putting a first right of refusal into your custody agreement, you may get to spend more time with the young ones in your family while protecting them from your ex’s potential carelessness.