It’s the time of year that kids tend to get antsy at school. With the beautiful weather, who can blame them for wanting to be outside? With summer vacations close at hand, all parents are making arrangements for their children at summer daycare, classes, and vacations.
Co-Parenting
There’s another element to vacation planning when parents are divorced, but it is certainly workable. Vacation scheduling must mesh with the overall custody plan, but there is some flexibility. Here’s an exploration of the factors to consider when planning a vacation with the kids.
Scheduling Is Necessary
According to Arizona law, you must give at least a 30-day notice to the other parent before the start of your vacation with the kids. It is also necessary to provide contact information to the other parent in case of emergency.
Guidelines in Place
While there are many recommendations for best practices when planning vacations, the Maricopa County guidelines for vacation planning have a sliding scale of recommended time that children can be on vacation with one parent. As a child gets older, he or she can spend a progressively longer amount of time with one parent. What starts as one week for a pre-schooler shift over time to up to four weeks for a high school student.
Custody Agreement
Whether you are co-parenting or have a sole custody agreement, that document will serve as a guideline for planning, such as if you can take your child out of the state or the country for a vacation. Your agreement may also have a set amount of time stipulated for one parent to have an extended parenting period in the summertime.
It is typical for children’s activities and sports to take up more time as they get older and make vacation planning more challenging. Good communication between both parents is essential to ensure mistakes do not happen and signals do not get crossed. The changing needs and interests of a growing child may also necessitate a modification of your co-parenting agreement.