If you're a recently divorced parent who has a 6- to 12-year-old child, you'll want to consider the unique developmental needs of a child this age while negotiating a suitable parenting plan arrangement with the other parent. These considerations will not only help you meet the unique needs of your child. They will also show the Texas family law court, that will approve your parenting plan, that you're keeping the best interests of your child in mind.
For children between the ages of 6 and 12, here are some parenting plan considerations:
Relationship building: Children between the ages of 6 and 12 are learning to build community relationships and a sense of having peers. They are particularly oriented toward building strong ties and relationships with same-sex friends.
Self-esteem building: Children in this age category are acquiring a sense of self-esteem as they accomplish new things, learn skills and acquire sporting and artistic abilities. They also need free time to do whatever they want and to play.
Staying in contact with teachers and other parents: Parents need to be in close communication with teachers and with the parents of friends. That will help the parents gain insight into the unique needs of the children.
Adolescence and puberty: Children are changing at this age and the closer they get to the age of 12, the more their bodies change through puberty. Parents should be available to help the child know that everything is going to be okay.
Discovering new topics about the world: Children are being exposed to a lot of different topics on the internet, on television and from friends during these ages. Parents should be available to talk about sexuality, drug abuse, violence, friendships and relationships to help the children gain perspective on these topics.
Character and responsibility building: Parents should give their children chores at this age, as the chores will help the children gain a sense for work and responsibility.
If you want to create the best parenting plan for your child between the ages of 6 and 12, consider the above topics while devising the agreement. You may also want to learn more about Texas child custody law and how parents typically divide their child care responsibilities for children in this age range.