When California parents consider divorce, they often think about the complex ways that the end of the marriage can affect their children. As the back-to-school season dawns, the first new academic year after divorce can add additional confusion and stress to a period that is already full of anxiety, excitement and anticipation. When children are going back and forth between different homes, their parents can work together and separately to provide academic support. In addition, both parents can help their kids to feel loved and supported, especially when the divorce has included problems with communication and information sharing.
Planning a schedule can be particularly important as kids go back to school after a divorce. Whether child custody is jointly shared or one parent has primary custody, understanding the children’s schedule around the school year can make everyone’s lives easier. It is good for both parents to clarify how the schedule can be maintained. Some people may use scheduling services like Our Family Wizard while others will opt for less formal solutions like a Google calendar shared to various addresses. In either case, it is important that both parents and the children have access to the calendar and can anticipate upcoming plans.
Both parents can review the official school calendar and designate who is responsible for holidays, in-service days and half days throughout the year. School events, performances and trips can be important for parent-child bonding. Therefore, it may be important for both parents to be present for these activities.
When parents think about child custody issues, handling the academic year can be a major challenge and an opportunity for the parenting plan to work effectively. A family law attorney could help a divorcing spouse reach a fair agreement on a number of matters related to the children’s education, including financial obligations and parenting schedules.
