People’s responses to seeing a new baby tend to vary according to whether the beholder.
People’s responses to seeing a new baby tend to vary according to whether the beholder has children and how old they are. If the beholder is a parent of teenagers, then the usual response is to tell the new parent to enjoy it while it lasts. The adorable baby noises and innocent gaze of an infant will soon enough give way to eye-rolling and vociferous disagreement with everything you say. It can be tempting to tell your teens that, since they already know everything, they are welcome to fend for themselves, but deep down, you know that you do not want to see them go. Sometimes relationships between adolescents and parents deteriorate to such a degree, however, that they can barely stand to live together. If your living situation with your teen has become untenable, kicking him or her out on the street with no plans about where to go next is not the solution, but working with a Tempe family law attorney is.
You are Legally Responsible for Your Children Until They Turn 18
Being a child’s legal parent, whether through birth or adoption, means that you are legally responsible for the child’s physical safety and financial support until they turn 18. In some cases, teens can become legally emancipated before they reach the age of 18, but the teen must be the one to initiate this process.
Co-parents who are not married to each other should have a court-ordered parenting plan and child support order delegating responsibilities for the child’s care. The court issues a parenting plan in every divorce case where the couple has minor children. Many couples modify their parenting plans when the children are in high school. This is usually to accommodate a schedule where the teen has more independence and responsibilities. For example, instead of Dad picking up his daughter from school on Friday afternoons, she will drive to his house after work on Friday evenings. When parents disagree about timesharing schedules for teens, the judge may ask the teen about his or her preferences for which days to spend with which parent.
What Happens if Parents and Teens Cannot Stand Living Under the Same Roof?
If you and your teen cannot stand to live together anymore, do not just kick him out of the house. You could face criminal charges, including child endangerment or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, especially if the teen is homeless after moving out of your house. Instead, modify your parenting plan so that you spend less time with your teen; the court will modify your child support order to reflect this. Your teen can even move in with another family member; if you are divorced, you and your ex-spouse must mutually agree to this.
Contact Singular Law Group About Co-Parenting Teens
A family law attorney can help you deal with the challenges of co-parenting teens with your ex-spouse. Contact Singular Law Group PLLC in Tempe, Arizona, to set up a consultation.
