Summer Vacation Planning Tips for Divorced Parents

The warm weather and school-free days make summers unforgettable for kids. Morning bike rides, afternoon popsicles, and the occasional beach vacation are ideal ways to spend the sunny days. However, as you grow up and have children of your own, summers begin to take on a new significance.

For parents, summer represents an opportunity to spend quality time with their children. Whether you go on a family vacation or just spend a little extra time watching television together, summers provide parents with an opportunity to strengthen their bonds with their kids.

For some nontraditional families, however, planning for the summer can prove a little more complicated.

For separated or divorced parents, dividing up the time spent with a child can be a difficult task. Mediators are sometimes helpful in providing a buffer and opening up avenues of communication, but it can be difficult for two former partners to know where to begin the conversation.

Thankfully, there are some steps you can follow if you find yourself overwhelmed at the prospect of planning your summer vacation as a divorced parent.

Communication Is Key

It can be difficult, even impossible, for a divorced parent to plan a family summer vacation without speaking to their former partner.

Even those with type-A personalities who are tempted to handle every detail of the trip themselves must remember that communicating with their former partner can make the difference between a fun or disastrous trip. In more acrimonious circumstances, an open dialogue can give all involved parties time to warm up to different ideas.

For some divorced couples, communication between the two parties is simply not a possibility. In cases such as these, older children can be helpful in terms of facilitating communication. As mentioned above, hiring an unbiased third party to serve as a mediator may also be worthwhile.

The presence of a divorce mediator — along with all of their experience and familiarity with divorce and separation — can help divorced couples come to an understanding much more quickly and peacefully than they would have otherwise.

Be Considerate

It’s easy to fall into possessive patterns and begin thinking about the time you spend with your children as “my time.” This kind of framework can be hurtful and unproductive, often leading to pointless conversation stalls.

Divorced parents should work under the assumption that the other parent is making an effort to communicate, and both parties should appreciate those efforts made on their behalf by their former partner.

Focus on the Positives

At the end of your strenuous planning, you finally get to enjoy that quality time with your children. Don’t let the stress of getting every detail settled distract you from having fun and being grateful for having the kind of family you’d go to great lengths to spend time with.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor, and appreciate the benefits of openly communicating with your former partner.

If you or someone you know in the Detroit metro area needs legal aid for a divorce or child custody issue, contact Gucciardo Family Law today. Their team of dedicated attorneys specializes in marital and family law and will guide you through your legal journey with skill and expertise.