You’ve made it through a successful school year of co-parenting—now it’s time for summer vacation. Whether you’ll be spending the summer months in Sugar Land or traveling, you’ll need to plan ahead to get through this time without co-parenting disputes or miscommunications. Luckily, there are lawyers who can help, for example you could schedule a consultation with the family law attorneys at Wong Fleming by calling 281-340-2074.

Summer vacation can be a difficult time for co-parents, especially those with a history of misunderstandings and fights. Summer often comes with additional expenses, and if both parents work, they may need to find childcare arrangements. Add in a few family vacations and it’s easy to see how tensions may run high.

Plan Ahead and Communicate Clearly

The earlier you and your co-parent can plan out your summer, the better. You can both plan your family vacations, determine when you may need extra help or extra parenting time, and ensure that you keep your child’s schedule clear on the necessary weeks. This is also a good time to iron out questions regarding summer camp expenses and other activities.

Strive to Collaborate

Collaboration is key for a successful summer. Even if you and your co-parent aren’t exactly best friends, coming together to create a memorable and fun summer for your child should be your top priority. If a conversation starts to get tense or stops being productive, commit to taking a break and coming back to the conversation once both parties have calmed down.

Prioritize Flexibility and Compromise

This is the time to be flexible in your plans, assuming that you and your co-parent have a relatively friendly relationship. Remember, you both want what is best for your child. That may mean that they spend a little extra time with your ex so they can go on a trip of a lifetime or making other concessions in order to give them a fun three months.

Discuss Your Plans With Your Children

Your kids should have the chance to get excited about summer. Before you make ironclad plans for your parenting time, talk to your children about what they want out of their summer and how they feel about some of your ideas. Keep in mind that you may not want to go this route if you have a high-conflict relationship with your co-parent, as they may take away extra time or go back on prior agreements in order to hurt you. Should that happen, you do not want your children to be affected.

Include a Mix of Family and Peer Activities

When you co-parent, it’s easy to want every single moment of your parenting time to be filled with family time. But remember that your children are also looking forward to time with friends. Strive for a healthy balance as you plan out your summer.

Stay Consistent as a Parent

While flexibility is important, try to stay consistent regarding your child’s routine, your expectations of their behavior, and their daily tasks and goals.

Help Your Child Remember Their Summer Fun

Encourage your child to keep track of their summer activities so they are ready to share when they go back to school in the summer. Depending on their ages and interests, you may help them journal, create a scrapbook or poster board of their favorite memories, or create digital projects that show off the highlights of their vacation.

Respect Your Co-Parent’s Time

Don’t infringe on your co-parent’s time by calling excessively, showing up late for drop-offs, or showing up early for pickups.

Discuss Vacation Communication With Your Co-Parent

You and your co-parent should be on the same page regarding phone calls and video calls on the other parent’s time. How much is reasonable? How can you both support the child’s relationship with the other parent? Setting clear boundaries ahead of time is key.

Stick to Your Court Order

If you are in a high-conflict co-parenting relationship, talk to your attorney before making any informal changes to your custody arrangement. Doing so without proper documentation could harm you in court.

Make the Most of Your Solo Time

Protect yourself from the sadness that can come when you hand your child off to your co-parent. Fill your free time with solo hobbies, time with friends, and special trips.

Discuss Your Family Law Needs With An Experienced Family Law Attorney At Wong Fleming

Struggling to figure out your family law problems? Let the family law lawyers at Wong Fleming help you navigate these challenging times. Call us at 281-340-2074 or reach out online to set up a time to talk.