Summer Co-Parenting: Tips for Travel, Vacations & Schedules
How can divorced or separated parents successfully manage summer vacations and parenting schedules? The key is planning ahead, communicating clearly, and putting your children’s needs first. By discussing vacation dates early, following your parenting agreement, remaining flexible when appropriate, and keeping each other informed about travel plans, co-parents can help create a fun, low-stress summer for everyone involved.
Does summer planning feel harder than it should? If it does, you’re not alone! The world we live in today is that our kids have very active schedules. Splitting vacations, camps, school activities and traveling between two households can make you feel like a magician. When you are recently divorced, it is normal to feel unprepared the first time around.
Social media would have us believe that kids expect over-the-top, expensive, viral-moment summers. But that’s not true. The best memories often happen in the everyday small moments in a child’s life… don’t believe the hype!
Talking early makes everything easier. Sit down with your co-parent before school even lets out and go over who wants which weeks, what trips are in the works, and how childcare will work on regular days. The more you settle now, the fewer scrambles later.
Try to keep last-minute changes to a minimum. Kids do better with some rhythm they can count on, especially during a season that already feels different from the school-year routine.
And when it’s time to hand the kids off between houses? Keep it easy on everyone. Meeting at an ice cream shop or a park can turn a transition into something the kids actually look forward to.
Your children shouldn’t have to choose sides or carry messages back and forth. Keeping them out of the middle is one of the simplest things you can do to protect them this summer.
When your kids are with their other parent, let yourself actually rest. Use the time to recharge instead of filling it with worry. You’ll come back more patient and present when they’re home with you.
If you and your co-parent keep hitting walls, you don’t have to work it out on your own. This is exactly the kind of everyday challenge a Collaborative Divorce Process was built for.
Collaborative Practice San Diego is a nonprofit, multi-disciplinary referral network of independent professionals of attorneys, mental health professionals and financial advisors working together to learn, practice, and promote Collaborative Processes for problem solving and the peaceful resolution of family law issues in regard to co-parenting, with an eye toward preserving the emotional, as well as the financial assets of the family.
Our team of experts can provide support to you and your family. Contact us today!
Note: This information is general in nature and should not be construed as legal/financial/tax/or mental health advice. You should work with your attorney, financial, mental health or tax professional to determine what will work best for your situation.
