Imagine this: it’s the holidays and everyone is ready for a vacation. People are excited to take a load off and spend quality time with their loved ones. Maybe they’ll take a road trip or go out-of-state for sight-seeing and new experiences. However, this can be a difficult and tense subject to navigate between divorced parents. Planning vacation time can come with its own set of challenges especially when it involves a child custody agreement and limited scheduling.

Scheduling Vacation Agreements

For those who are still working through the details of a child custody and parenting plan, it’s important to clearly define vacation time between you and your ex-partner. All parents want to spend time with their children and for divorcees, having a coordinated vacation schedule will help prevent conflicts by setting some ground rules.

Talk to your ex-partner and clearly define what can and cannot be done. Here are a few examples of what to agree upon:

• Determine agreeable vacation destinations, whether it be local, out of state, or out of the country.
• Set equal vacation days so your children can spend enough quality time with both parents.
• Discuss activities that the children will participate in during the vacation.

Some divorced parents may choose to establish specific dates each year in which they can take their children on vacation. Others may choose to have unspecified dates instead, but are required to notify the other parent in advance of when they plan to take their children on vacation. Regardless of what option you may choose, it is important to be clear and communicative with each other.

Be Transparent with Each Other

Incorporating vacation plans can be difficult and tedious but it’s important to prevent conflicts. In order to be transparent with each other, some divorcees may opt to put plans into writing to ensure each party is aware of the set guidelines. If you decide to make any changes to your plans, remember to inform the other. If an emergency were to happen on a vacation, it’s important for the other to be aware of where you are and what you were doing. Understand that remaining communicative with each other is the first step in overcoming conflicts in a child custody agreement.

Conclusion

Establishing a vacation plan can be overwhelming, but by following agreed upon guidelines, divorced parents can easily navigate and coordinate with each other while spending quality time with their children. Here at Family Law Richard E. Young & Associates, we help divorcees navigate confusing and tense child custody agreements. If you have any questions or concerns, contact us at (949) 951-9529 or visit our website to learn more about our services.