Is Your Parenting Plan Ready for Summer? Managing Summer Custody Arrangements in California
As the days get longer and temperatures warm, your children may already be looking forward to indulging in their favorite summer activities and, if they’re in school, leaving homework behind for a few blissful months. You, however, may be viewing that same period with mixed feelings of anticipation and dread.
Summer—roughly the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, or the last day of school and the first day of the next school year depending on your area’s academic calendar—is usually a time of fewer responsibilities and obligations for children. But that change can also become a source of conflict and stress between divorced co-parents when typical custody arrangements require adjustment to accommodate changed daily circumstances, vacation plans, or activities such as sleepaway summer camp. Taking a proactive approach to creating a modification to your normal schedule for the summer months can help avoid weeks of arguments and shield your children from stress, anxiety, and uncertainty.
The expert family law attorneys at Hart Ginney are your skilled allies in devising summer custody arrangements flexible enough to encompass the needs of both parents while providing a sensible, age-appropriate structure for your children. Whether you need an advocate to stand up for your rights when negotiating a schedule or an experienced counselor who can provide insight into creative solutions for your summer custody challenges, our divorce lawyers will help you construct a summer parenting plan that works.
Need a Summer Parenting Custody Calendar?
Summer should be a time to have adventures and make memories with your children, not a source of strain and arguments about custody arrangements. If you’re in need of a summer parenting plan calendar, grab ours today!
Expert Family Law Representation for Child Custody in the Bay Area
At Hart Ginney, LLP, we understand that just as every divorce is unique, every custody plan should also be uniquely designed to take your family’s circumstances and what is in your child’s best interest into account. The lawyers of Hart Ginney have many years of experience in helping families navigate the complexities of crafting effective co-parenting arrangements. When your parenting plan needs to change for the summer, we can provide knowledgeable guidance on creating a shared parenting schedule that promotes your child’s well-being, balances both parents’ wishes, and ultimately creates a mutually acceptable outcome. Our goal is to resolve issues without undue conflict or unnecessary legal fees while upholding your rights and safeguarding your child’s interests.
Issues to Consider for a Summer Parenting Plan
While summer may seem like a blank slate at first glance, creating summer child custody arrangements requires attention to a range of different factors that can quickly make the task seem insurmountable. Each parent’s desires and different perspectives on what should take priority can also fuel disagreements. As with any parenting plan, the best interest of the child is the primary consideration that should guide decision-making. Hart Ginney can help illuminate the issues and advocate for reasonable solutions while upholding your rights. Potential points of discussion include:
- Typical Custodial Arrangement: Whether your regular custody plan provides for 50/50 physical custody or some other allocation of time spent with each parent, the summer custody schedule should allow an equitable division of time in line with the overall parenting plan.
- Your Child’s Age: Infants and toddlers require more frequent contact with both parents to maintain healthy bonds, while older children’s relationships are less likely to be disrupted by a summer schedule shifted to a longer format such as alternating weeks to allow for vacations or summer activities. A summer plan should include reasonable adjustments for events such as family vacations while being appropriately designed for the child’s developmental stage.
- Travel: Travel plans should first adhere to any restrictions in existing custody orders regarding interstate or international travel. Beyond that, communication on desired travel should start well in advance to prevent problems, ensure trips are in line with allotted custody times and to set reasonable guidelines on contact for both parents’ peace of mind.
- Summer Activities: As children get older, activities such as athletics, day camp, or sleepaway camp can take on increasing importance to them. For older teens, summer plans may also need to encompass work, internships, or college visits. Again, early discussions are needed to ensure that summer parenting plans accommodate these without either parent infringing on the other’s time.
- Holiday Schedules: Custody for summer holidays such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, Father’s Day, and the Fourth of July may already be part of your original custody order. Summer parenting plans should incorporate already agreed-upon arrangements where applicable.
Even in the most amicable co-parenting relationship, working through the potential challenges of summer scheduling can give rise to friction. The seasoned attorneys at Hart Ginney are attentive to both the big picture and the fine print details in negotiating, drafting, and finalizing summer child custody arrangements. Our expertise in avoiding escalation in emotional, stressful situations facilitates timely resolutions that protect you and your children from avoidable worry, confusion, and family discord.
Knowledgeable Counsel for Summer Parenting Plans in the Bay Area
Summer should be a time to have adventures and make memories with your children, not a source of strain and arguments about custody arrangements. If your parenting plan for the summer needs updating, Hart Ginney, one of the premier family law firms in the East Bay, can help ensure that your family enters the summer with a clear roadmap aligning everybody’s expectations, rights, and responsibilities. To schedule your consultation with one of our skilled, compassionate attorneys, contact us today or fill out the form below.
