Will Back To School Change Your Custody Schedule?
Summer is winding down and children throughout Media are starting to get ready to go back to school. As a parent, you may be excited about the thought of your child going back to school, but there may be other issues you have to consider, as well. Below, our Media child custody lawyer outlines special considerations you may have to make regarding your parenting schedule as the kids go back to school.
Does Back to School Affect the Time You Spend with Your Child?
Whether or not back to school will impact the amount of time you spend with your child will depend on several factors. The first is where the parent with primary custody lives.
Typically, the child will attend school in the same district as the custodial parent’s residence. This means that if you are the non-custodial parent and your child currently spends several days during the school week with you, that may have to be adjusted. On the other hand, if the school in the non-custodial parent’s is better and will be more beneficial to the child, the parent can file a petition so the child can attend that school.
The second factor that will impact the amount of time you spend with your child is your own schedule, as well as that of the other parent. For example, if you have an unpredictable work schedule or often work late, it may be in the child’s best interests to stay with the other parent during the school week. When parents share joint custody, it is usually recommended that the child continues to attend their current school.
How to Prepare for a Different Custody Schedule?
If you have to change your custody schedule to accommodate the new school year, there are many things you can do to prepare. First, speak to your child about it using age-appropriate language. Let them know why you are making the changes and that you are doing it for them. Remember that all custody decisions must be made in the best interests of the child, so focus on them when speaking to your child.
Secondly, it is important to put the plan into action long before the first day of school. Most co-parents start testing out the new parenting schedule during August at some point. This way, it can help determine if the schedule works and if anything needs changing. This is particularly true when testing out a new parenting schedule. Even when all decisions have been made regarding the schedule, there may still be kinks to work out that got overlooked during the development of the plan.
Our Child Custody Lawyer in Media Can Advise On Your Case
If you have a child custody issue that has arisen with the coming school year, our Media child custody lawyer at Barbara Flum Stein & Associates can help. Call or text us today at 610-565-6100 or chat with us online to book a consultation with our experienced attorney to learn more.
Source:
legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=23&div=0&chpt=53
