Now that spring break is nearly over, it’s time for divorced parents to start thinking about how their children will be spending their summer vacation. If you listened to an experienced family law attorney during your divorce, you have already determined how your children will spend all of their holiday and vacation breaks. This can help you and your ex avoid fights and potentially make these times that should be fun for your kids stressful.
Whether you’ve codified how your kids will spend their summers in your parenting plan or not, how you and your ex handle them can have a big impact on your kids’ well-being — and your own.
The earlier you make your kids’ summer vacation plans, the better. Kids of divorce in particular need that sense of security. If you have plans to travel during the summer with your kids, let your spouse know.
Make sure that you aren’t taking them anywhere that’s not allowed in the custody agreement (such as out of state or out of the country) unless you’ve been given permission by the court to do so. Further, unless your kids want two trips to Disney World or Europe during the summer (although some kids might), you likely don’t want to plan duplicate vacations.
Summer vacations may be the longest time that you spend away from your kids — particularly if you are the custodial parent. It may be hard to let go and not check in with them several times a day. That’s why it’s best when both parents sit down and agree on how often they will communicate with the kids while they are with the other parent. Then, let your kids know. Again, consistency is crucial. Perhaps you want to arrange to have a video chat with them before bed every night to catch up on what they did during the day.
Having a plan in advance and sticking to it are crucial for your children’s feelings of security and for handling vacations and holidays with your ex. If you’re having a difficult time establishing such a schedule, your Indiana family law attorney can provide guidance.
Source: FindLaw, “Top 5 Tips for Child Custody and Summer Vacation,” Brett Snider, Esq., accessed April 14, 2017