Getting Ready for the School Year as Co-Parents
As we start to look toward the second half of summer in California, we also have to think about what the next school year holds. No matter how good your co-parenting relationship is, it’s always good to start the school year off on the right foot. With a little preparation, you can avoid conflicts when the school year starts and be in the best emotional space to support your child.
If summer has been rife with co-parenting conflicts, it may be time to reach out to a California child custody attorney. At Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox, LLP, we understand the emotional challenges that come with child custody concerns. Collectively, our team has decades of legal experience that allow us to navigate the complexities of family law cases just like yours. Find out more about how we can help you by calling us at 909-894-0812.
Review Your Custody and Parenting Plan
As you start to prepare for the school year, take a few minutes to review your custody order and parenting plan. The new school year likely means a shift away from a summer custody schedule to a school year custody schedule, and you may want to refresh your memory so you know which weekends are yours and when handoffs will happen. If there are any vague parts of the order, you can bring them up to your co-parent to hammer out an agreement before the school year starts. You can also bring up any concerns to your child custody law firm.
Coordinate the School Schedule
The school schedule changes a little each year, and discussing these changes at the very beginning of the school year can help everything run more smoothly. Look at holiday breaks, but don’t forget shorter breaks—three-day weekends and half-days that may require one parent to rearrange their work schedule. You can also use this time to start planning out potential vacations and family trips to make the most of your parenting time. Don’t forget to look at upcoming events, such as weddings, family reunions, or special birthdays that may require schedule changes. If you have to make changes, your child custody lawyer can help you draft the necessary paperwork.
Update Any Necessary Information With the School
Typically, you can check your online account with the school to see who is listed as your child’s parents and emergency contacts. Make sure that the school has both parents’ phone numbers, addresses, and e-mail addresses so both parents can stay up-to-date. This ensures that one parent isn’t left handling all communication with the school. If either parent has gotten married, you may also want to use this time to ensure that the child’s new stepparent is listed as a guardian.
Discuss School Supplies and Expenses
If you worked through your parenting agreement with a child custody lawyer, you may have discussed who pays for school supplies and other school-related expenses. If your child participates in extracurriculars, there may be additional costs for those. Talking through these requirements with your co-parent now may prevent uncomfortable conversations or delays in payment down the road.
Establish Consistent Routines
The shift from summertime to a new school year can be hard for a child, no matter how stable their home life is. You and your co-parent can work together to help make the school year go as smoothly as possible. Discuss how you’ll both handle the child’s bedtime, homework routines, and extracurricular schedule. If your child knows what to expect from both parents, they will have a much easier start to the year.
Have Emergency Plans in Place
No matter how carefully you plan, there’s always an emergency that you haven’t thought of—that’s just how life goes. The best time to have an emergency plan is before an emergency actually occurs. Work with your co-parent to decide what will happen if your child has to leave school early due to sickness, if one parent or the other has health concerns that leave them unable to do school pickup or drop-off, and other emergencies that may arise during the year.
Address Your Custody Concerns With Our Child Custody Law Firm
If you’re facing issues that you cannot work out with your co-parent, this is a great time to bring your questions to your child custody lawyer. Call Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox, LLP at 909-894-0812 or contact us online to set up a time to talk.
James Lawrence Knox is a partner at Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox, LLP. For almost three decades, Mr. Knox has been providing aggressive legal representation to clients facing criminal charges, as well as individuals involved in family law issues or facing administrative law proceedings. Mr. Knox, along with the other members of our legal team, is firmly committed to putting the needs of clients first and has a long and distinguished track record to show that he is a skillful litigator and knowledgeable legal professional.