Now that the school year is nearing an end, parents are going to have to start making summer plans for their children. For the children who have parents who aren’t in a relationship any longer, the summer months can actually be more stressful than the school year because of issues with child custody and visitation. Parents should try to lessen the stress of the summer schedule.
How can I plan a vacation with my child?
There is one advantage that many children with parents who are divorced have during the summer. Many of these children actually get to take two vacations since each parent will likely want to take a vacation with the child. It is crucial that both parents work together to try to schedule vacations that don’t cause any drama. This can mean having to plan early, having to be flexible and having to work with your ex. If the child custody plan you have gives you and your ex specific parenting time dates, be sure to use those as a guide when planning your vacation.
What if we can’t come to an agreement?
If you and your ex can’t come to an agreement about vacations or summer parenting schedules, you might find yourself in front of the judge again. In some cases, you will need to seek a child custody modification to have the child custody changed to reflect specific issues. This might entail coming up with a firm schedule for each summer or planning extracurricular activities in a specific manner. If you have to seek a modification, you should do so as soon as possible since the requests you make aren’t guaranteed to be granted.
Source: L.A. Parent, “5 Tips to Lessen Summer Visitation Drama,” Casey Marticorena and Don Schweitzer, accessed May 26, 2016