What is the Problem that Divorced
Parents Face When Vacationing with
Their Children?
There are a couple of times a year that divorce lawyers will tend to hear from their old clients. One of them is the holidays, and the other one is usually during summer vacation time. Typically, that’s because there is a disagreement between the parents over their child or children’s summer vacation time.
Usually, the argument will sound something like this: Hey, I planned a vacation. The rental goes from Saturday to Saturday. Is it okay if I take an extra day even though it’s your weekend?
Then the other parent automatically replies with, “absolutely not” I want the child (or children) home on Friday. I’m not letting you take my weekend. In other cases, maybe another parent says, hey, we are thinking about staying an extra day. Is that okay? In which case, the other parents will say no way. Your vacation time was seven days long, and I absolutely do not agree with it going for the eighth day.
Why is there a Disagreement Between
Coparents over Summer Vacation?
Let’s get to the real root of the issue here. Heads up parents, summer vacation is supposed to be a fun time for your kids and your family. It’s supposed to be an opportunity for your kids to make the memories that they will keep forever with their other parent.
Take this into consideration if you are the parent who is automatically saying no. My question to you is this: Are you responding that way because it is child-centered, or is it more self-centered?
What I really mean by that is this, if your answer to that question starts with an “I,” this means that your negative response is not coming from a place of actually helping your child or children. Rather you are responding that way only because it has more to do with you and your own ego than it has to do with your actual child or children.
How Should Co-Parents Behave During
Extended Vacation Time?
There are many ways to compromise with the other co-parent. The thing is, your kids will know when their parents argue. If there’s a fight, every time summer vacation comes around. When things are getting planned around the time for that, your kid or kids are going to know that. It will become a part of the memories that they grow up having. Please don’t do that to them. It won’t hurt anything if the vacation goes an extra day.
Listen! What successful co-parenting all really comes down to is just a few things: don’t be a jerk, be accommodating, flexible, and open. That’s what co-parenting is all about. At some point, you are also probably going to want to ask for the same thing in return, so act sensibly and show some consideration and understanding for your child or children and their other parent’s bonding time.
