Returning to school after summer vacation is often difficult for your kids and bittersweet for you. Shifting from your summer routine back into your school routine involves a lot of change and preparation.
One major aspect of your lives that may change is your custody arrangement. While some families have a single custody arrangement year-round, many have a school and a summer arrangement. Here are some tips to make the back-to-school transition easier.
Review Your Parenting Time Plans
If your summer parenting schedule differs from the schedule used during the school year, review how the schedule will change once school begins again (or any adjustment period after summer).
Which days do you have the kids? How will you drop them off or pick them up from school? Do they have after-school activities?
It is important to ask these questions and determine how to fulfill your obligations according to the plan or if it needs to change. Discuss the plans with your co-parent for more effective results.
Communicate Early & Often
Early and frequent communication between co-parents is the best way to avoid conflict. In addition to allocating back-to-school responsibilities like buying school supplies, it is important to communicate with your co-parent early to establish a schedule that works for you and your children.
Many co-parents can work out adjustments to their parenting time agreement amongst themselves. Putting any adjustments in writing is recommended to document agreed-upon changes to your parenting schedule. However, if you are having trouble agreeing on a parenting schedule, getting help from a family law attorney can make reaching an agreement much easier.
Have a Back-Up Plan
Working out a backup plan in an emergency is also a good idea. This plan should cover how your parenting schedule would change in the event of extended school or daycare closures, sickness of a parent or child, and any other potential situations that may arise that would require a change in your parenting schedule.
Planning ahead of an emergency can save you a lot of stress and scrambling in the future.
Include Your Children
As your kids get older, their school schedules and needs change. They develop new interests, get involved in new activities, and develop independence. Parenting schedules should reflect these changes. Involving your children in communication regarding scheduling is always important but becomes more important as they mature.
Even if they are not yet old enough to contribute to the formation of the schedule, it is important to talk to your children about how their schedules will change once the school year begins. Creating a visual calendar outlining their daily schedules can also make the transition easier. This does not mean you should involve the children in adult-type conversations, including any ongoing parenting issues between you and your co-parent.
If your children are young, sharing your parenting schedule with their teachers may be wise. This way, another adult knows their schedule on a given day, so they are equipped to help your child if needed. For instance, if your child forgets which parent is picking them up from school or whether they have an after-school activity scheduled on a particular day, their teacher will have access to that information and be able to help.
Contact Us for Legal Assistance
The back-to-school season can be stressful for families, especially when it is complicated by the need for a parenting schedule that works for both parents and the children. If you have any questions about your parenting schedule or making the transition from your summer schedule to your school schedule, you should consult with an attorney with experience in family law.
The attorneys at Solutions Based Family Law have many years of experience in family law, including helping co-parents come to an agreement on the most efficient and beneficial parenting schedule for their families.
Call (720) 463-2232 to set up a consultation.