3 Summer Vacation Issues to Address in Your Parenting Plan

Most Michigan couples that divorce when they have children will wind up sharing custody. A parenting plan helps establish each of your specific responsibilities to the children and to one another. Including the right information in your parenting plan can help set you up for custody success.

You don’t just want to talk about what will happen on the average school day. You also have to set rules in place for other family needs, like vacations. There are three important inclusions to consider for your parenting plan when setting rules for summer vacation.

1. How will the family divide its time?

Maybe each parent wants to take the children on a trip, or you just hope to schedule some downtime with the kids. You should have a general plan in place for splitting up your summer.

Some parents my alternate weeks or split each month and a half. Others might split summer vacation in half, with the kids spending half of the summer with one parent and the rest with the other. Your employment and family circumstances will influence which approach is best for your family.

2. How far can either parent travel with the children?

Knowing that your ex wants to leave the country with your kids can make you nervous. Michigan’s parenting plans typically restrict relocations and travel outside of the state unless parents set their own rules. You might want to create custom solutions for vacation travel so that your family doesn’t need to get a modification when one of you plans a big trip.

3. What are your expectations for the children during the summer?

Summer may be a time for the family to relax and bond, but it is also the time of the year when students lose some of their academic progress.

Whether you want your children to commit to reading a certain number of books, to work a summer job or to take a few classes to close learning gaps, you and your ex should have expectations for your children. Agreeing to summer rules, like a later curfew and more permissive socialization rules, can also be an option.

The more time and consideration you put into creating your parenting plan, the easier it will be for your family to navigate shared custody after the divorce.