Co-Parenting Tips for Surviving Summer Break

 Posted on April 05, 2023 in Family Law

Although it is hard to believe, summer break is just around the corner. For children, the end of the school year is often an event that kids look forward to all year. For divorced and unmarried co-parents, however, the end of the school year can bring significant challenges.

Managing a co-parenting schedule in which both parents have parenting time is difficult under the best circumstances. It can be even harder to maintain the schedule and communicate with the other parent about child-related concerns during summer break. If you are a divorced parent sharing custody, consider the following co-parenting tips this spring and summer.

Communicate Early and Often With the Other Parent

Talking to your ex may not be your favorite thing in the world, but it is important to keep the lines of communication open. If your ex has a history of forgetting important child-related information or your relationship with him or her is contentious, it may be best to communicate through written words. Consider using e-mail or text messages to discuss child-related schedules or other information. This ensures that there is a record of what was said and when.

Keep Your Kids Routines as Consistent as Possible

Although children would love for the summertime to be devoid of any rules, it is typically in a child's best interest to maintain consistency. If possible, keep things like bedtimes and household rules the same between the two homes. This helps the children adjust to their new family dynamic and can help you avoid conflict and confusion.

Inform Your Ex of Any Vacations Involving The Children

If you plan to go on a vacation with your children this summer, make sure you communicate that to the other parent. Taking children out of state without the other parent’s knowledge can lead to increased hostility. Some parents may even panic and accuse you of kidnapping the children.

Determine Whether Your Parenting Plan Needs to be Modified

The end of the school year is a great time to evaluate your parenting arrangements and determine whether any modifications need to be made. For example, if one of your children is moving from elementary school into junior high school, he or she may have a completely different schedule next year. If you need to modify the parenting time schedule or the allocation of parental responsibilities, make sure to formalize the changes through an official modification. The court can only enforce parenting arrangements that are established through the court.

Contact our Joliet Child Custody Lawyer

Child custody issues can be complicated and emotionally charged. Fortunately, you do not have to deal with child custody issues alone. Our Will County family law attorneys can help you address any concerns you run into. Call 312-702-1293 for a confidential consultation at The Foray Firm.

Source:

https://preventchildabuse.org/resources/summer-break-routine/