Children who are having to deal with their parents going through a divorce will likely find that the tension and uneasiness extends to other areas of their life. This includes their education, which is something that almost all parents can agree doesn’t need to occur.
As a parent, there are some options that you have for making your child’s transition back to school a bit easier. The options you choose depend largely on your child’s age, maturity level and ability to cope.
You and your ex will need to figure out a way that you can work together to make sure that your child has what he or she needs for school. This can include using a communication app to share details about projects, schedules and activities.
Communication with teachers is also imperative. The teachers and school administrators should know that both parents have to be contacted when there are issues at the school. You can’t make this clear enough since you and your ex need to know what is going on. Hearing it straight from the school can help to minimize any potential misunderstanding. Be sure to let them all know about the divorce so they can respond appropriately if the situation is impacting your child in any manner.
After school activities, field trips and other similar outings pose special problems for divorced parents. You need to make a plan for how these will be handled. Determining these plans now can help you avoid having to rush to make them at the last minute.
You and your ex should make sure that your child is encouraged as much as possible when it comes to schooling. This can help your child to realize that he or she has support necessary for success.
The child custody order that you and your ex have can make a big difference in how things go. Make sure that you read and understand the order so that you can abide by it.
Source: Our Family Wizard, “Divorce and Your Child’s Education: 3 Tips to Help Avoid Academic Setbacks,” accessed Oct. 18, 2017