Co-parenting checklist

Use the sections that fit your family, court order, or parenting agreement. This checklist is a planning aid, not a replacement for legal requirements.

Initial family setup

• Confirm each parent or caregiver’s current phone number and email
• Record school, childcare, medical, dental, and pharmacy contacts
• List allergies, medications, care instructions, and emergency information
• Write down the regular parenting schedule and exact exchange details
• Choose the normal communication channel and response expectations
• Choose the emergency communication process
• Record who may pick up the child from school or childcare
• Identify where important records and permission forms are kept

Weekly check

• Review the next seven days of school, childcare, and activities
• Confirm any exchange that differs from the regular routine
• Check transportation, uniforms, equipment, medication, and homework needs
• Share new school notices or appointment details directly with the other adult
• Resolve schedule questions before the child needs an answer
• Keep adult disagreements away from exchanges and child conversations

Monthly check

• Review the next month’s school closures, activities, and appointments
• Close completed expense reimbursements and identify missing receipts
• Update contact, medication, and provider information if anything changed
• Check deadlines for camps, school forms, insurance, and activities
• Discuss one recurring problem using a specific proposed solution

Before school breaks and holidays

• Confirm exact start and end times for holiday parenting periods
• Confirm the exchange location and transportation plan
• Share travel details and permission documents as required
• Plan medication, clothing, schoolwork, and comfort items
• Tell the child the plan in a calm, age-appropriate way
• Avoid asking the child to choose between households or deliver messages

When plans change

• Send the request directly to the responsible adult
• Include the exact dates, times, and transportation impact
• State whether replacement parenting time is requested
• Wait for confirmation before treating the change as final
• Update the shared schedule or written record after agreement

This checklist is general educational information and is not legal, medical, or mental-health advice.