How should you adjust your co-parenting for back-to-school?

Back-to-school brings a lot of changes to your kids’ overall schedule. You and your kids have to adjust to the changes, but these changes may be even more drastic if you had to change your parenting plan over the summer.

After a divorce, most co-parents have a different summer schedule because the kids do not have to go to school each day. According to 2Houses, summer schedules and school schedules do not always mix.

Discuss parenting schedule changes

Talk with your co-parent in advance about how the schedule may have to change. With your kids returning to school, it may make more sense for one parent to have the kids regularly, mainly if one of you lives closer to the school. Planning vacations or having extended visitations with the non-custodial parent may be easier during the summer. With kids going back to school, you may want to have schedules that alternate weeks rather than days if you had an alternating day schedule.

With back-to-school, you no longer have to worry about summer events, but you have to consider extra-curricular activities. Determine which parent picks up and drops off your children at various events throughout the school year.

Acclimate your kids to the new schedule

Your kids may need help adjusting to the new schedule. Talk to your kids about their preferences and find out if they have any ideas about how they want to spend the school year. They can tell you which schedules they prefer and which ones make life more difficult.

Give yourself a buffer before the school year to start the new schedule.