It might seem too early for Texas parents to think about summer child custody and plans, but is it really?
No, it isn’t. Parents love their children and want to spend time with them, especially if they have vacation time from work and want to take their kids on a trip or plan a staycation. And the child custody agreement that works during the regimented school year just might not work in the more leisurely summer.
So, it’s important to start now to work with your co-parent to set a summer schedule.
Start by penciling in summer camps or other activities the children will take part in on the calendar. (At the same time, it’s wise to reach an agreement on how to share payments for these activities if it isn’t part of your custody agreement.) Then, both parents should block out time on the calendar for vacation times with the kids to make sure there are no scheduling conflicts.
It’s important to be flexible. You might want to take a certain week to stay home with the kids, have outdoor movie nights with popcorn and backyard days in the pool. Your co-parent might want to take the kids to a family reunion with a set date. As long as you can change your time off from work, you could change your more casual plans, while the reunion can’t be flexed.
Would your co-parent do the same if the plans were reversed? And what if you just can’t come to an agreement on either a week or a whole summer, and your co-parent isn’t cooperating? You might need the help of a professional. Contact the attorney who worked with you to create your child custody agreement for advice or to help you pursue legal options.
