Summer vacation can bring custody changes

When school lets out for the summer, it’s a classic, free time in a child’s life. If that child’s parents are divorced, though, it can make for one complicated summer vacation schedule for the parents. It may have to be different than what they did during the school year.

For instance, one couple used a schedule of two weeks with one parent and then two weeks with the other. While this meant they got to make fewer exchanges than they would if they traded time every week or every few days, it also meant going 14 days at a time without seeing their child. The girl was 10 years old, and her mother said it was very hard to be away from her for so long during the usually fun summer months.

Another potential issue to consider is where to make the exchanges. A lot of parents just do it after school during the year, to keep things easy. During the summer, they need a set schedule to make exchanges on their own.

Furthermore, parents may have to consider child care options. Maybe one parent stayed home with the children when the couple was married, but now both parents have to work after the divorce. That’s fine when the children go to school during the day, but what will it mean when they’re home? Will the parents have to hire someone to care for them or will they need to change their work schedule?

These are just a few of the questions parents need to ask, but they help illustrate why it’s so important to think carefully about your custody options.


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Author: On behalf of Katie L. Lewis of Katie L. Lewis, P.C. Family Law