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→Specified and unspecified parenting time
Most agreements and orders about parenting time will say that the children will have a specific schedule of time with one parent, or a specific schedule of time with both parents. Some provide a set schedule, and allow for additional parenting time as the parents may agree, usually by saying that a particular parent will have "such other time with the children as the parties may agree." Still others are much more ambiguous, sometimes to the point that the agreement or order doesn't really set out a parenting time schedule at all. Agreements and orders like this may say something like this:
<blockquote><tt>"Parent A will have parenting time with the children as Parent A and Parent B may agree."</tt></blockquote><blockquote><tt>"Parent A will have liberal and generous parenting time with the children."</tt></blockquote><blockquote><tt>"Parent A will have parenting time with the children as the children may agree."</tt></blockquote>
This sort of unspecified parenting time is appropriate where parents communicate with each other reasonably well and each is prepared to accommodate the other. Where there is any tension between the spouses relating to the children, an agreement or order like this may not be appropriate, particularly if there is a chance that one parent will withhold the child from the other when parenting time is requested. In fact, agreements and orders like this may be a recipe for disaster.