As a parent, the care of your children is one of your paramount concerns. Naturally, though, neither you nor your children’s other parent can be with the kids at all times. This means you eventually must entrust your children’s well-being to a daycare service, nanny or babysitter.
According to ABC News, an effective strategy for choosing childcare is to ask friends and family members for recommendations. This strategy depends on those closest to you being able to exercise good judgment. What happens if you cannot trust your ex to choose a good babysitter?
Your custody arrangement
If you are in the middle of a custody dispute, you have a prime opportunity to influence your ex’s choice of a babysitter. Indeed, you can negotiate the first right of refusal provision. With this provision, your ex has a legal duty to ask you to babysit before he or she asks anyone else. If you decline the offer, your ex can look elsewhere for childcare.
Your post-divorce parenting
It can take some time to acclimate to sharing custody. If you worry about not seeing your kids during your non-parenting time, the first right of refusal clause has another benefit. Specifically, by agreeing to watch your kids when your ex cannot, you may get to see your children even more. Beyond that, you can protect your kids from having a babysitter you do not trust.
Negotiating the first right of refusal provision often requires some back and forth. Ultimately, by starting the process as early in your custody dispute as possible, you will likely increase your chances of finalizing a provision that works for everyone in your family.
