3 Co-Parenting Tips To Make Summer Less Stressful

Now that school is out, the kids are going to be ready for a couple of straight months of no homework and lots of fun. However, as a divorced parent, you may not be looking forward to these next several weeks. Summer vacation isn't something that divorced parents look forward to, as co-parenting can be a bit challenging. However, with a few tips, you can easily overcome obstacles and ensure that your summer vacation is less stressful for everyone involved.

1. Don't Wait Until the Last Minute; Make Your Plans Early.

One of the main things that divorced parents tend to find about over the summer is that one parent waits until the last minute to let the other parent know about their plans. Don't do this. Try to plan your adventures early on and let the other parent know. If you know you want to take the children out of town or state for a couple of weeks in July, let the other parent know ASAP. And when the other parent informs you of something similar, try to be as accommodating as possible.

2. Keep the Other Parent Informed.

During most summer breaks, children will spend time with both parents. If this is the case with your family, make sure that you are keeping the other parent in the loop with everything that is going on. This is especially important if your children are going to be spending summer with a parent that doesn't have a lot of time with them during the year and may not be up-to-date on certain areas of their lives. For example, if the other parent is taking the children to the beach, it may be a good idea to let them know whether or not they have recently had swimming lessons or how their skin reacts to the sun.

3. Go Back to the Parenting Plan.

When you and your now ex divorced, a parenting plan was likely created. This will say who gets the kids for which holidays and breaks, including Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. It will also include which parent is responsible to cover special expenses, such as summer camp, sports camp, swimming lessons, horse riding lessons, and any other extracurricular activities. So, to ensure that there is limited fighting between you and your ex, go back to your parenting plan and rely on the guidelines that have been set forth by it. As the children get older, this plan may need to be modified, which can be done by speaking to an experienced family law attorney. Contact professionals like Baudler, Maus, Forman, Kritzer & Wagner, LLP to learn more.