The summer season is not just fun in the sun. When you are sharing parenting time and custody with your child’s other parent, at times it can feel chaotic and stressful. From day camps, sleepaway camps and play dates with friends, to family reunions and vacations, it might not take much to feel like things are off balance in your co-parenting routine.
You do not have to feel like you are struggling to catch up until the school year begins again. At any point this summer, you can take the following steps to help make sure your parenting plan continues working effectively.
1. Strategize your schedule
If the busy summer schedule has you at your wit’s end – and conflict between co-parents brewing – it may help to set up a co-parenting meeting and create a shared calendar. This can keep plans and schedules organized, even across two households.
While you craft a parenting schedule when you negotiate custody, the changing seasons may also bring changing needs. Revisiting and reorganizing your parenting schedule may be a necessary step to relieve stress for the whole family.
2. Review household rules
In this same co-parenting meeting, it might also be a good idea to reconsider the rules that span households. One key issue that many parents of teens may worry about during the summer months is their child’s curfew.
This is a particular concern for many in Raleigh after recent events involving “teen takeovers.” While there may not be an official city-wide curfew for minor children yet, you and your co-parent can establish one and ensure you enforce the same curfew in both houses.
The summertime often does not have as much routine as the school year, for your child or for you. Some ground rules may need to change to meet your child’s needs and secure their safety this summer.
3. Communicate consistently
While communication is always a key component of co-parenting successfully, make sure you regularly check in about your children during the summer months. It is even more important to stay on the same page when your child does not have the regular schedule and routine the school year offers.
It is not too late to summer-proof your parenting plan. With some preparation and communication, the summer can still be fun for everyone in the family.