For some people, one of the moments they dread most during the day is the time they have to exchange their child with the child’s other parent. Bad blood between the parents oftentimes spills over to child exchange because that is the time when the parents see each other most frequently. What’s more, the presence of a new boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse at the child exchange can also complicate things and make the relationship between the parents even worse.

If you are unhappy with your current exchange arrangement, you should first consider speaking with the other parent about changing it. If that does not work, you can always go to court to ask the judge to modify the exchange arrangement. Consider the following ways in which you can modify the exchange:

Schedule:

You can ask the court to modify the exchange schedule if you suit your needs and the needs of your child. For example, if a 2:00pm pick up time does not work, what about a 4:00pm exchange time?

Location:

You can also ask the court to modify the location of the exchange. Is the school a hassle to get to? Do you feel unwelcome at the other parent’s home? Is the location too far away from you and too close to the other parent’s home?

Public:

In cases where there was physical violence or threats of physical violence, exchanges in a public place, as opposed to someone’s home, can sometimes be a better solution. For example, some courts will order that the exchange take place at a local McDonald’s off a freeway.

Distance:

When the two parents cannot get along, sometimes it is appropriate to ask the court to order the other parent to stay a certain distance away from the exchange at all times. If you are supposed to do the exchange at the other parent’s home, for example, you can modify the exchange so that you are dropping your child off a couple houses down from the other parent’s house.

Presence of third party:

Another option is to ask the court to make sure a third party is present during all exchanges. A third party will often deter the parents from getting into heated arguments or physical violence.

Absence of third party:

Sometimes the instigator of a fight is one parent’s new companion, such as a new boyfriend. Bad blood between one parent and the other parent’s new partner can result in unhappy exchanges for the parents and the child. You can ask the court to order the other parent to make sure the third party is not present at any of the exchanges.

Hopefully these give you some ideas that may be of benefit to you. Any time you are thinking about modifying your child exchange agreement, you would be wise to consult with a dedicated family law attorney first.