Are you prepared to co-parent during the upcoming school year?

Co-parents will have to address unique issues as the new school year begins.

The lazy days of summer are almost at an end. As the new school year begins, many parents may find themselves struggling to establish or reestablish an effective co-parenting plan with their former spouse.

The flexibility of summer schedules often allows parents to alter their parenting plan. When custody is shared, divorced parents may work out agreements in which one parent takes the children for a vacation during the summer months.

With the start of the new school year, however, ensuring a consistent schedule is created and adhered to will help children adjust to the new demands of classes and homework.

Written schedules

When parents have joint custody of their children, it is a good idea to have a written schedule posted somewhere in both houses. In some cases, children may go back and forth between houses during the school week. Having a written schedule for them to refer to will ensure they always understand where they will be during the week.

In addition, the written schedule will help both parents and children plan for the week ahead. Children can ensure they have the right schoolbooks at each house on a given night. In addition, if they have a big project due at school, parents can make certain the children are able to work on the project regardless of which home they are in for the night.

Money concerns

The start of a new school year is typically accompanied by a variety of additional costs. Among the expenses parents may encounter is the cost of uniforms, sports, music lessons, other after school activities, field trips and book fairs.

In some cases, parents may not have delineated who was responsible for covering such expenses in advance. If that is the case, address those issues immediately and come to an agreement. It may be necessary to involve your attorneys, particularly if the expenses are significant. Regardless, do not continue the argument over finances each time a new expense comes up at school – try to reach an agreement at the beginning of the school year that will last throughout the year.

Establishing a workable co-parenting plan can be a challenge, particularly when you are in the midst of a divorce. If you are in such a situation, you need to seek the advice of a skilled family law attorney. Allow a knowledgeable legal professional to focus on the details of the dissolution, so your attention can be directed toward co-parenting your children.

Keywords: divorce, custody, co-parenting, school