Summer vacations are something that most children look forward to all year long. For children who have parents who are divorced, vacations may bring mixed feelings. They may be happy to have a vacation with one parent, but sad that the other one won’t be there.
It’s critical that both parents encourage their children to enjoy the vacation. This can be done by facilitating communication, sending photos and making it easy for the children to share their memories with their other parent.
Outline vacation plans before you leave
Letting your ex know about your vacation plans as early as possible is beneficial. This can include information about the destination and travel plans. It may also include more specific information, such as what attractions you’ll visit with your children. The key is that you must meet or exceed the requirements set for communication.
Set reasonable expectations
It might not be possible for you to set exact times for when your children will contact their other parent, particularly if your children are younger and rely on you for communication. Setting reasonable expectations about communication while you’re gone could be as simple as saying, “Susie will call you Saturday evening,” so that the parent knows to expect a call.
Before you leave on vacation, be sure you know what your parenting plan requires. This is the minimum that you must do, but you may find that it benefits your children to go above that minimal effort. The goal of your parenting circumstances must be to do what’s best for your children, so be sure to make it as easy as possible for them to share their vacation memories with their other parent.