The structure that comes with the school year, week in and week out, can help create a relatively simple co-parenting schedule for divorced parents. After all, custody schedules are developed with the idea in mind that children will be at school for most of the weekday. But what about when school is out for summer?
Extended school breaks can throw a wrinkle into custody schedules. Add on events like camps and vacations and things can get even more complicated. But, with some planning and proactive communication you can have an enjoyable summer that works for your whole family.
Here are some tips from a divorce attorney in Fort Worth for planning your children’s summer schedule following a divorce.
Adjusting Your Timeshare Schedule
Many divorced parents schedule time with their children on a schedule that changes custody within the week. For example, a 3-4-4-3 schedule, or a 2-2-5-5 schedule. But when trying to schedule summer activities, this doesn’t always work. One solution is to switch to a “week-on, week-off” schedule for the summer months. This simply means that your children can be with you one week, and your co-parent the next week.
This week-on, week-off summer schedule is convenient because it involves less moving around for your children and more flexibility for their summer activities. During the summer, children want to be able to relax and enjoy their time off from school, so the less moving around, the less stress there will be (for everyone involved!).
Additionally, there will be fewer drop-offs and pick-ups for you and your co-parent, who may typically rely on school bus transportation during the school year. If you need help facilitating a schedule change between you and your co-parent, speak with a divorce attorney in Fort Worth like those at Lovelace Law.
Scheduling Camps and Other Activities
When trying to schedule a week-long camp or recurring summer activity, your normal schedule can be impacted; you may find that you or your co-parent’s time with your children may become unbalanced.
The week-on, week-off schedule makes scheduling summer camps easier, because if your child is gone for a week, that week simply doesn’t count for either you or your co-parent. The child can be with parent A the week before their camp, then go to camp for a week, and then come home to parent B for a week.
It’s important to communicate with your co-parent about what camps or activities your children are interested in pursuing over the summer. Keep your children’s needs and interests first when planning what they will be doing during the summer, ahead of your own wishes for their activities or schedule. It’s important that every child has positive outlets to explore their passions and interests, especially if they’re just learning how to adapt to separated parents.
Making Vacation Plans
A summer vacation is an important part of many families’ calendars and can be a positive way to reconnect with your children and experience different areas of the country and world. Planning for summer vacation after divorce is doable and important; it just requires a bit more planning and patience.
First, make sure to plan ahead and plan early.
Set trip dates and travel arrangements early to prevent miscommunication or surprises close to your trip date. Communicate your plans to your co-parent and give them time to acknowledge in writing that they have been notified and accept the plans you have outlined. If the trip will be over a week, you should restructure your parenting schedules to give your co-partner back the time they missed.
Set reasonable expectations for communication between your children and co-parent during your vacation.
Will your children communicate with your co-parent on a daily basis during the vacation? Every few days? Or will you play it by ear? You should not limit your children’s ability to communicate with your co-parent while on vacation, as this could lead to hostility and conflict. Talk with your co-parent and children to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Additionally, make a packing list to make sure your children don’t forget something from one house or another.
Splitting time between households means your children probably have various belongings stored at different houses. It might be an organized chaos you and your children have gotten used to. But for vacation, you’ll need to know where things are to make sure no essential items are left behind.
Give your co-parent a written list of items at least a week before so that your children can get those items from your co-parent’s home. You don’t want to get to your vacation and realize they’re missing an important item like medication or their favorite book.
Be Mindful of Summer Holidays and Events
Be aware of any summer holidays or events that will affect your schedule. The two big ones to consider are Father’s Day and the Fourth of July. If Father’s Day falls on mom’s week, maybe you and your co-parent can work out a switch for that week. Or, if there is a birthday somewhere in the summer, you might want to plan ahead for that as well.
Communication and Planning are Key
Throughout the whole process of planning your summer schedule, communication will be the most important thing. Make sure everyone is aware and on board with the plan to ensure there are no surprises or hurt feelings.
Contact Lovelace Law, P.C. for a Divorce Attorney in Fort Worth
If you are having issues with your divorce terms, or if you are at the beginning of the divorce process, you probably need a divorce attorney in Fort Worth. For an experienced and compassionate divorce attorney in Fort Worth, consider seeking the services of Lovelace Law, P.C.
Many North Texans turn to our divorce attorneys in Fort Worth to assist with everything from child custody and alimony to trusted legal advice on all divorce proceedings.
Contact Lovelace Law to speak with a divorce attorney in Fort Worth today.
