As children grow into teenagers, what worked in your original parenting plan may no longer fit your family’s reality. In Alberta, parenting arrangements must always be guided by the “best interests of the child,” a principle recognized in both provincial and federal family law.
A parenting plan is a written agreement that sets out where children live, how decisions are made, and how day-to-day schedules, holidays, and communication work. Parenting plans can help reduce conflict after separation, especially as family dynamics shift. However, adjusting them accordingly with the help of an experienced Edmonton family lawyer can make all the difference.
How Parenting Plans Change As Children Become Teens
Teenagers often have busier schedules, more independence and stronger opinions about where they live and how they spend their time. Alberta’s family laws, including the Family Law Act, require decision-makers to consider a child’s views and preferences as one factor when deciding what is in their best interests.
This usually means that a parenting plan for a teenager will:
- Focus more on flexibility around school, homework, activities, part-time jobs and social life
- Address technology, phones and social media expectations
- Consider transportation, especially once a teen can drive or use public transit independently
- Plan for transitions like starting high school, graduating, or taking on part-time work
If your teen’s life looks very different from when you first separated, it may be time to revisit your parenting arrangements.
Giving Teenagers A Voice In Parenting Plans
Recent changes to the federal Divorce Act confirm that a child’s views and preferences are an important part of the “best interests of the child” test, as long as the child is capable of forming their own views. Courts in Canada do not set a fixed age for when teenagers can decide where to live, but older and more mature teens are generally given more say.
There are different ways to hear opinions from your teenager without asking them to choose between parents. Depending on the situation, families may use child-inclusive mediation, a parenting assessment, or a report that summarizes the teen’s wishes. Our article on when a child can decide which parent to live with in Alberta discusses how a child’s wishes are considered alongside other best-interest factors.
Updating An Existing Parenting Order Or Agreement in Alberta
As teenagers grow, what was once a workable schedule can become a source of tension. Parents may notice more last-minute changes, arguments about transitions between homes, or difficulties managing extracurricular activities across two households.
If your current parenting order or agreement no longer reflects your teen’s needs, you may be able to renegotiate it or ask the court to vary it based on a “material change in circumstances.” Variations are possible and common, although the initial process of modifying existing decision-making responsibility and parenting orders in Alberta can seem confusing. Alberta’s family law legislation outlines the laws that apply to parenting arrangements and subsequent changes.
Even when you and a co-parent agree in principle that things should change, you may still need help turning that understanding into a clear and enforceable parenting plan that anticipates future stages of adolescence.
How An Edmonton Parenting Plan Lawyer Can Help
An experienced parenting plan lawyer can help you identify what should be updated, how to give your teen an appropriate voice in the process, and how to keep the focus on their long-term wellbeing. Verhaeghe Law’s Edmonton parenting plan lawyers work with families to create teen-appropriate arrangements that remain grounded in the best interests of the child.
If you need to update a parenting plan for your teenager in Edmonton or elsewhere in Alberta, you can contact Verhaeghe Law Office online or call (587) 410-2500 to book a consultation with an Edmonton family lawyer.
Please note that the information in this article does not constitute legal advice. It is intended as a general overview of an area of family law. For legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.