Beat the Heat: The Summer Custody Schedule
The summer is a time for trips to the beach, swimming at the pool, no school, and for many divorced parents, custody battles over the summer schedule. In a little over a month, the summer begins for school-aged children in Pennsylvania. If you have a custody agreement with your ex and you haven’t looked at your summer schedule, now is the time to address any issues before they become a problem. You may also want to make some changes to your agreement that would allow for more time with your child while school is out of session.
Some agreements may provide for additional custodial time over the summer. While children are out of school, there is more flexibility in where they can spend overnights. If a parent only has weekends or limited time during the week with the child because of location or restrictions due to school, the summer can be used to provide make-up time.
Be sure that if you are taking vacations over the summer that you have provided sufficient notice to the other parent as well as your itinerary and accommodation information. You will want to know well in advance of your trip if the other parent will contest your right to take the children on vacation for any reason. If you are traveling internationally, ensure that you have all passports updated. In the event that you need to renew your child’s passport, you will need the cooperation of the other parent.
Cooperation between parents when navigating the summer schedule is typically preferable to seeking a remedy through the court system. The ability to co-parent and effectuate an existing custody agreement is in the best interest of the child and will ultimately save the parents time and money in legal fees. If you need assistance with a custody matter, click or call 610-892-3877.
