The school year is beneficial to parents for a few reasons. First, it gives them an opportunity to get into a routine with their children. They have the opportunity to have a schedule where their kids know exactly where they’ll be and where their parents are.
The summer tends to make things more complicated, because the custody schedule that worked in the past may not work now. Parents who once relied on school so that they could work morning shifts may now find that they need to be home to care for their children, or they might need to split custody more evenly to take pressure off one of the parents.
As summer approaches, it’s now that you should talk about custody changes
If you believe that you’ll need to change your custody schedule this summer, now is the time to start talking it over. Discuss the problems with your ex-spouse first. For example, will you need to work from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. from Monday through Friday, just like during the school year? How would they like to address those morning hours when your children used to be in school?
Many parents turn to babysitters and daycares when their children are younger, but you may also want to start looking into which family members can help or if your children are old enough to stay home alone for a few hours at a time.
If your children are getting older, then they may now be getting ready to drive or want to spend more time with friends. Could you request one of their friends’ stay-at-home parents to watch over them for a few hours a day while they play with their classmate? These are all topics to talk about, so you can find a healthy solution to any new custody issues.
Once you settle on a new schedule, it’s a good idea to update it with the court. That way, you’ll have something to look back on if any problems arise during the summer. Then, in the fall, you can switch back to the plan that worked if it’s still effective.
