Summer vacations are often some of the fondest memories children have as they’re growing up. While some kids have both parents in the home and everyone takes the vacation together, others have divorced parents who take separate vacations.
If you’re divorced and planning a summer vacation with your children, there are several things that you can do to make the situation easier.
Check your parenting plan
Before you start making firm plans, be sure to review the parenting plan to ensure that you know the rules. Some parenting plans may have geographic restrictions that dictate where you can vacation without permission from the other parent or the court.
You also need to find out if vacation plans trump the regular parenting time schedule. In some cases, parents will have to switch out parenting time to accommodate vacation schedules. In other cases, parents are limited to only being able to vacation with the children during their own parenting time.
Plan early
Plan your vacation as early as possible. Not only does this give you the chance to snag some deals, it also provides the opportunity to address any conflicts without having to stress at the last minute. As you’re planning things like flights, make sure you consider the times. The last thing you need is to have to rush around to get to the airport on time. Instead, provide yourself with a cushion of time to get there, and do the same when you get back home.
Plan for communication
Your child will likely want to communicate with their other parent during the vacation. Ensure there’s an option for them to do this. Children who have cellphones or other devices may be able to do this on their own, but you may have to facilitate the communication for younger children.
If you’re just now going through your divorce and are still working on creating your parenting plan with your ex, be sure to have specific terms included that outline vacation expectations. Your legal representative can assist you to ensure that necessary concerns are addressed.
