Whether you have been divorced for a few years or have just formally separated from your spouse, if the two of you share minor children, summer is the time when it is most likely that your custody schedules can go off the rails.
Since spring has just begun, it might seem as if it is way too soon to start planning your summer custody schedule with your co-parent. But the truth is that it is actually a great time to start hammering out your plans for the children’s care during the summer months when they will be out of school. Below are some important considerations.
Is a parenting plan already in place?
If so, this document is the blueprint by which your summer plans will be dictated. For instance, you may want to take the kids to enjoy a week or two at one of the East Coast beach vacation spots as you have in the past.
But if your parenting plan says that neither parent can take the kids out of state without their other parent’s permission, this can be a formidable hurdle to cross. You might want to start your negotiations now in March if you want to head out in June.
Who will watch the kids when the parents work?
Older children who are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves may still need parental supervision to keep them from getting into trouble. Younger kids clearly need caregivers to watch over them.
But if both co-parents work away from the home, this can be challenging to manage. Here is where having a civil relationship with your co-parent can benefit the entire family. Working together to resolve custody matters is preferable to having the courts decide the fate of your family.
Do your custody arrangements need to be tweaked?
It may be that your kids have outgrown the simpler terms of prior custody orders. Address these concerns with your St. Paul family law attorney.