Summer break is the highlight of your child’s year, but for a parent with a custody agreement, summer break can be a stressful time. Avoiding stress can ensure both you and your child have a relaxing, fun summer. Here are steps you can take to help make summer break less stressful.
Develop a co-parenting plan
Developing a co-parenting plan for the break will help make the summer run smoother for everyone involved. If you and your former partner are on good terms, together you can create a plan for the summer. However, you may consider involving a mediator if you have had difficulty agreeing on co-parenting terms before.
Make vacation plans known in advance
Throughout the summer, it is common for families to schedule vacations. If you schedule a vacation that does not fall on the dates that you have with your child, make sure your child’s other parent knows in advance that you wish to include your child. This gives you time to discuss revising the schedule to accommodate these plans.
Update your plans as your child grows
As your child ages, the plans need to be updated. It is important to realize that a plan you made last summer with your child’s parent may not work for this summer. Co-parenting will be less stressful when both parties are willing to adapt to a new plan.