This booklet written in 2005 was sponsored by the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFFC) with the encouragement and support of Chief Justice Dunphy of the Probate and Family Court. "This guide combines recent developmental research about children and the impact of divorce on their lives, with the practical needs of parents and children living apart. It is the hope of the task force members that this booklet will be useful to parents, judges, lawyers, mediators, and parent educators in designing realistic, child-focused parenting plans." (from the Introduction) This booklet has been distributed to every judge and chief probation officer in the Probate and Family Court.