Some Tips For Back-To-School Co-Parenting

While co-parenting after divorce is never easy, parents often encounter even more difficulties than usual when there are big changes to the child’s schedule, as occurs during the holidays, when relocating, or when it’s time to go back to school. With summer officially coming to an end and the new school year nearly underway, many Florida parents are facing the awkward endeavor of transitioning their children to a back-to-school routine. We’ve included a few tips below to help you navigate this year’s back-to-school season.

Be Sure to Follow the Terms of Your Parenting Plan 

In Florida, all parenting plans must contain certain information, including details about a couple’s time-sharing arrangement and division of decision-making responsibilities. These visitation schedules should, in turn, address how a child will spend the weeks during the school year, as well as during the summer months and holiday vacations. It’s important for parents to stick to this schedule. In fact, doing so is legally required, as parenting plans are considered legally binding court orders.

Review and Modify Your Custody Arrangement 

It’s not uncommon for a family’s circumstances to change over time, especially as children grow up and their interests and needs change, so if you find that your own time-sharing arrangement no longer works, you should review it with your co-parent and if necessary, seek a modification. Perhaps your child is now attending high school and is involved in different extracurricular activities. This could require a change in which days a child spends with which parent, or may require an update regarding transportation needs.

Coordinate Your Schedules 

Using a shared calendar is a great way for co-parents to keep track of important school events, vacations, holidays, or time-sharing exchanges. When both you and your co-parent are up-to-date on these commitments, you can coordinate your schedules more easily, minimizing confusion and reducing the risk of conflicts later on. Having such a calendar will also give you and your co-parent the opportunity to discuss your child’s schooling and progress and if necessary, to address any concerns as they arise.

Utilize Open Communication 

Effective co-parenting always starts with openness and transparency between parents. When it comes to the start of the new school year, this means that you and your co-parent will want to discuss academic schedules, education-related expenses, like tuition and school supplies, as well as transportation to and from school, parent-teacher conferences, and extracurricular activities. Parents who fail to talk openly about these issues, or to keep their former partner up-to-date on changes risk causing conflict, which is rarely in a child’s best interests.

Schedule a Consultation Today 

With  more than 20 years of experience, dedicated Fort Lauderdale child visitation and time-sharing attorney Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. is here to offer you guidance and assistance when it comes to co-parenting your child. Call us at 954-945-7591 with your custody-related questions and concerns.

Sources: 

flcourts.gov/content/download/686031/file_pdf/995a.pdf

cnbc.com/2023/08/11/smart-back-to-school-parenting-tips-from-family-therapist.html