Time-Sharing During The School Year

Balancing your child’s needs is always difficult, but the start of the school year can be particularly overwhelming, especially for divorced co-parents. All parenting plans contain detailed time-sharing schedules for the entire year, so parents should be sure to review their plans ahead of the school year to remind themselves of which days they will have custody of their child. There are other things, however, that parents can do to help themselves and their children more easily adjust to a new time-sharing schedule and improve their child’s chances of enjoying a successful school year.

Save the School Calendar 

One thing that co-parents can do to help ease the transition from a summer time-sharing schedule to a back-to-school schedule is to make sure that they save a copy of the school calendar for the academic year. This can help ensure that both parents are able to keep track of important dates, like Open House, Parent/Teacher Conferences, field trips, and holidays. When both parents are able to stay in the loop in regards to their child’s academic activities, they can play a more active role in connecting with their children by volunteering for school events, meeting with teachers, and chaperoning.

Make Transportation Plans 

Co-parents who share custody during the school year will also want to divvy up transportation responsibilities ahead of time. Each parent should be clear on when they will need to pick their children up for school, who will be responsible for drop-off and who will be required to pick-up. If the children will be using the school bus, then the parents should know when that bus leaves and arrives and who will be at the house to meet their children. Parents should also decide who will be responsible for taking their child to and from extracurricular activities on which days.

Update Emergency Contact Information 

The new school year is also a good time for co-parents to check in with their child’s school and update any emergency contact information on file. Be sure to reach out to the school’s office staff and correct the contact information for both co-parents if necessary and the information of any other third parties who have been designated emergency contacts (e.g. other relatives).

Monitor Academic Performance 

It’s important for both co-parents to carefully monitor their child’s academic performance. Fortunately, many school districts have digital platforms that help parents keep track of grades for different subjects, missing assignments, and even upcoming projects. Parents should be sure to regularly check these sites and if necessary, reach out to their child’s teacher for more information, so that they can offer help as needed.

Here to Help with Your Back-to-School Visitation Schedule 

If you have questions or concerns about time-sharing during the school year, our legal team is available to assist you. Call 954-945-7591 to set up a consultation with experienced Florida child visitation and time-sharing attorney Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. today.

Sources: 

flcourts.gov/content/download/686031/file_pdf/995a.pdf

forbes.com/sites/reganwalsh/2018/09/07/back-to-school-the-working-parents-survival-guide/