The start of a new school year often means new clothes, school supplies and extracurricular activities. While it can be exciting for children, it also creates new challenges for divorced and separated parents.
For parents who share parenting time, a little planning at the beginning of the school year can prevent many disagreements later. Here are some co-parenting tips to make the transition easier for everyone.
1. Review your parenting plan
Your child’s school schedule may be different from their summer schedule. Review your parenting plan so both parents understand how parenting time will work, such as:
- Which parent is responsible for school drop-off and pickup
- Where the child will stay on school nights
- How holidays and school breaks may affect the regular parenting schedule
- Who is responsible for extracurricular activities
- How to handle schedule changes
Both parents should follow the existing parenting schedule unless they agree to a different arrangement or obtain a modification through the court.
2. Make sure both parents have the school calendar
It’s essential that both parents have access to the child’s school calendar, which includes important information about holidays, winter and spring breaks, field trips, school performances, early dismissals and parent-teacher conferences.
Having the same information can help prevent missed events and last-minute conflicts.
3. Keep school supplies at both homes
Children who move between two households need to keep track of homework, sports equipment and other belongings.
Consider keeping duplicate basic supplies at each home. This may seem like a small issue, but reducing the number of belongings that children have to remember can make moving between homes less stressful.
4. Plan for extracurricular activities
Sports, clubs, music lessons and other activities can make a child’s schedule much busier during the school year.
Before enrolling your child in a new activity, consider how practices, games, rehearsals and competitions will affect both parents’ parenting time. If an activity regularly occurs during the other parent’s scheduled time, disagreements may arise. Parents should discuss extracurricular activities and how transportation, costs and attendance will be handled.
A successful school year requires cooperation from both parents. If you are dealing with repeated disagreements over parenting time, school decisions, transportation or extracurricular activities, you may need to speak with a legal professional. Getting these issues addressed early can help give your child the stability they need for a successful year.