Summer vacations: Tips for separated or divorced parents

Soon, kids will be out of school and ready to start their summer vacations. Parents who are separated or divorced often find that this is a stressful time and it can often be confusing for their kids. Here are some tips, though, that can help make summer breaks easier on everyone involved.

First, make sure you have a vacation schedule planned and written down. In most cases, there will be a custody or parenting order from the court that lays out when each parent gets the children. This can make things much easier, but if you have to ask for changes, there could be disputes that arise. It’s best to plan ahead as much as possible to avoid disrupting the plan.

Next, make sure that any trips are also planned well in advance. When leaving the state with your child, notify the other parent well in advance. Transfers between parents should be done in writing, such as by email or text. This can help avoid confusion.

If traveling out of the country, then you’ll likely need notarized permission from the child’s other parent to do so. Make sure the child’s passport is up to date, as well as ensuring you have copies of the child’s immunizations and health insurance documentation. Any medications that the child takes need to be sent, as well. Provide the other parent with a copy of your itinerary.

These are just a few tips that can help summer vacations go a bit smoother. A lot of it all boils down to communication. If you feel that you cannot communicate well with the other parent, your attorney may serve as a go-between in some cases.

Source: Huffington Post, “6 Summer Vacation Tips for Divorced or Separated Parents,” Kyung Dickerson, March 29, 2016