Handling Custody over Summer Break
While many children are looking forward to the end of school year, some parents may be facing conflicts regarding custody issues for the vacation term. Many things change during the summer. Younger children need supervision during the weekdays, which can be a challenge for parents with full-time jobs. Additionally, some parents may want to take children on vacations, which disrupt the usual physical custody schedule.
The above are only some challenges faced by parents who share custody during the summer months. However, the good news is that many issues can be avoided with careful planning during a custody case.
Addressing Summer in the Parenting Plan
As part of a custody case, Texas law requires parents with shared custody to agree to a parenting plan. This is a detailed plan that can address many issues regarding both physical and legal custody. By choosing guidelines for how you will handle summer break in advance and memorializing it in the parenting plan, you can reduce conflicts.
The following are some considerations that may come into play for a summer break parenting plan:
- Does the usual physical custody schedule still work if the child is not in school?
- Does each parent have the ability to supervise the child during the day or have alternate arrangements?
- Is it easier to come up with a unique custody schedule for the summer months?
- Do you need to schedule longer blocks of time for each parent to take the child on vacation?
- What are the guidelines for traveling out of state with the child?
- What are the restrictions for potentially risky activities such as water sports or other adventures that may be a possibility on vacation?
If one parent wants to stray from the parenting agreement and the other is fine with it, they can discuss it at a later date. However, if the diversion from the plan is not agreeable, complying with the plan will be expected unless a modification is obtained from the courts.
Discuss Your Custody Case with a Texas Family Law Attorney Today
An experienced Rosenberg, Texas, child custody lawyer can help you reach a reasonable parenting agreement that addresses all your issues. Please call The Vendt Law Firm, PLLC, at (832) 276-9474 to discuss your case today.
