Charlotte Divorce Lawyer Blog
Summer Co-Parenting Tips for Divorced Parents
Summer is a fun time for kids, but it can be stressful for parents. The daily routine changes and that can leave families feeling off-kilter. You want to make sure that your kids have a great summer, and at the same time, you still want to have control over the schedule. Here are some tips for co-parenting that can help you get through summer vacation.
Summer is a fun time for kids, but it can be stressful for parents. In this video Managing Member Matt Arnold will discuss Co-Parenting Tips during the Summer Break for Divorced Parents.
Set Up a Communication Plan
Summer can be quite busy and sometimes chaotic. To avoid chaos, make sure to make a regular date and time to communicate about the children. This will ensure that both parents are aware of what’s happening and it also gives parents a chance to discuss any issues that might arise over the school break.
Plan for Daycare
The need for child daycare changes drastically in the summer months. Kids are out of school and you now have to provide care for them for the whole day. Talk to your former spouse about the options available and your expectations. It may be advantageous to sign the kids up for full-day daycare, but you need to make sure you do so in plenty of time to guarantee their enrollment.
Discuss Activities and Summer Camps
Summer vacation is a time filled with lots of activities for kids. Whether they are on a sports team, taking swimming lessons, or attending camp, both parents need to get on the same page. The main consideration should be to make sure that your child gets to participate in their interests. Talk to your kids about their preferences, and also talk to your ex about how you will pay for your children’s summer needs.
Create a Schedule That Works
Kids thrive when they have a regular family schedule they can count on. The summer can seem less structured unless both parents work together to strive for consistency. Make the schedule as detailed as possible while at the same time, try to make it easy to follow. A less complicated schedule will be easier for everyone to understand and still give structure to the summer months.
Provide for Family Vacations
Parents often enjoy spending time with their children on a summer trip. A family vacation is a fun and memorable time as long as you plan it in advance. Keep in mind that both parents may wish to have one or two weeks in a row, so try to be flexible. This will allow you to schedule a trip with your kids, too. Minor changes in your regular parenting plan are usually fine as long as both parents are in agreement.
Allow for Grandparent Time
Summer vacation often provides more time for kids to spend with grandparents. This is particularly true when grandparents don not live nearby. Grandparents usually like to spend some additional time with the grandkids in the summer, and kids will enjoy having time with their grandparents. Remember that you may need to make arrangements for travel that you can coordinate with your former spouse.
Co-parenting can be challenging, but the key is to make sure that you make decisions that are best for your children. Whether you are going through a divorce or need to make modifications to your custody agreement, we can help. Contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to schedule a consultation.
The family law practice group at Arnold & Smith, PLLC includes four Board-Certified Family Law specialists and one Child Welfare Law specialist, as well as several attorneys with many years of family law experience that are committed to providing a powerful voice to individuals facing the often-tumultuous issues in this area of law. The range of issues our family law clients may be facing include pre-and post-nuptial agreements; separation agreements; post-separation support; child support (both temporary and permanent); absolute divorce; divorce from bed and board; military divorce; equitable distribution of assets; child custody (both temporary and permanent); retirement benefits and divorce; alimony and spousal support; and adoption. Because this area of the law is usually emotionally charged and complicated, the family law attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, act with the utmost dedication to ensure that each client understands his or her options and then work to achieve the best result possible for that client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/parenting_plan
https://www.parents.com/co-parenting-effectively-8619302
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/family-1409629
See Our Related Video from our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-etzu52lGk&list=PLmCumX4VjiLonmquEH7H1bAPLWibDk2XW&index=7
See Our Related Blog Posts:
Co-Parenting School Age Children