After the school year, summer with the kids can feel like a free-for-all. While they may have activities, the schedule becomes a balance of some days with no plans and others with several activities on the agenda.
When you share custody, summer vacation can feel even more complex since you and your ex need to coordinate vacations and other summer events. Depending on your custody agreement, you may need to adjust how you coordinate care for your children.
Here’s what you should know about creating summer plans with your child custody agreement.
Planning ahead is key
Although it can be fun to be spontaneous and leave on a summer adventure, it is less of a possibility with a custody agreement. Before you make travel plans, you should look at your custody agreement to see what types of travel are expressly permitted and what requires consent from the other parent.
When you plan ahead, you have more time to talk to your ex about what you want to do and what renegotiation you may need to make summer plans work for everyone. Keep in mind that your ex may want to take your children on a vacation, too, and you may need to work together to find an appropriate compromise.
Making official changes
Often, child custody agreements include plans for the school year, summer, and other holidays and breaks. If you are looking at plans that would deviate from the custody agreement, you may need to make an official change with the court.
Remember, if there is a dispute about child custody changes, the court will tend to look at the custody agreement. While they may consider other steps you took to get your ex’s consent for your plans, the custody agreement could be the final word if there is a disagreement.
In many cases, if both parents agree to make a change to the custody agreement, the court is likely to approve the change. Still, it is best to have an official modification rather than risk a dispute.