Summer vacation is something your children look forward to for months. They get time off of school and are able to spend time doing exciting activities. Unfortunately, as a parent, summer vacation can be stressful. When you are divorced and co-parenting, it forces you to determine an entirely new schedule making summer far less exciting. However, there are a few steps you can take to plan ahead and make the transition smoother.
1. Avoid conflict
You should know the last day of school for your children well in advance, so there will be no need to wait to plan the summer schedule until the day it starts. Make time to sit down with your co-parent and talk through plans, trips, parties, etc.
2. Involve your children
Ask your children for their opinions (depending on their age) about childcare, activities, and summer programs. They look forward to summer all year and do not want to be stuck inside due to failure to plan. However, do not engage children in the discussion until the plans have been fully discussed between the parents. This will avoid making promises that cannot be kept.
3. Agree on rules
Work together and come up with summertime rules that everyone can stick to. This can include where children can go, managing invitations to friends’ homes, down to a bed time. Your children may not like it, but things will go smoother if everyone is on the same page.
4. Be flexible
Hopefully you and your co-parent are going into the summer with a predetermined schedule. However, the reality is that a lot can happen to disrupt those plans. You need to be prepared to handle unexpected situations as calmly and courteously as possible when co-parenting during the summer.
5. It’s not a competition
You may have the funds to plan a more extravagant summer vacation than the other parent. You may be willing to spend more on theme parks, movies, shopping, dining out, and other activities. If you have the desire to compete, make sure to think about the children. The best summer memories are not created by money or material things. Your children will benefit most from quality time with both of their parents over the summer.
If you’re in need of help with parenting issues during the upcoming summer months, contact Márquez Law for your free consultation.
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