The first summer vacation after a divorce can be difficult for the whole family. Typically, this is the time of year for many Minnesota families to get together and have fun before the children go back to school for three months. Now that the parents aren’t together anymore, it might be one of the most difficult post-divorce periods to adjust to.
It can also be a difficult time for many parents to organize their schedules as well. Since children don’t have school on the weekdays, most custody schedules often change around this time of year, and many parents have a harder time remembering which days they have the kids now. Even if you and your ex aren’t on the best terms after the divorce, it might be a good idea to sit down with them and discuss how you two will approach the upcoming season and what the other should know about.
Changing weeks
Custody X Change has highlighted some of the most common child custody plans throughout the nation. When it came to summertime, many of the schedules often changed depending on whether the custody was divided. Parents that alternated from week to week during the school year might have to wait between 2-3 weeks during the summer.
It’s better to establish with your ex that these changes are occurring soon so neither of you will forget when your kid has to go to another parent. You may end up seeing the courtroom again if either of you fail to adjust to the new schedule.
Holidays
Even though your child has the next three months off, there are still certain holidays that affect custody rules in the summertime. Most custody plans do require the child to spend time with the father on Father’s Day, so that’s easy to remember on an annual basis.
However, holidays such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day can change from year to year. One parent might get the Fourth with their kids during the odd years while the other gets the even years. These need to be brought up during your meeting in case a holiday interferes with either you or your ex’s standard custody week.
Vacations
Many parents like to plan getaways during the summer to spend some much needed time off with their children. Since you and your ex are operating on different parenting schedules now, you need to inform them which weeks you plan on going out of the city up to the cabin or a different part of the country. That can help them plan their own vacations with the kids to avoid exhausting them and prepare them for a potential delay in case you have flight or traffic problems on the way home.
If you have any further questions on how you and your ex’s summer custody schedules will work, talk to a family law attorney so you can start planning as soon as you can.
