Handling the Challenges of Child Custody During Back to School Season

Back to school is just around the corner, and for many parents, it means more child custody issues. Back to school season can be overwhelming, not only for children but also for parents. Parents have to deal with a variety of things, including school enrollment, back-to-school shopping, attending back-to-school conferences, and integrating sports and extracurricular activities with both parents’ schedules. We know that this time can be stressful; that is why our team of Southern California child custody lawyers has gathered helpful tips to make this time as stress-free as possible. If you need legal advice with child custody, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We have offices throughout Temecula, Anaheim, and Riverside.

Challenges that Arise During Back to School Season

Back to school season is typically a challenging period for divorced or separated parents because they have to organize different factors in their children’s life. This includes answering questions such as which parent should be responsible for school pick-ups and drop-offs, which parent should pay for school clothes and supplies, and which parent should cover the costs for extracurricular activities. The questions may seem endless and can result in a stressful situation for both parents.

Even when parents face these challenges, there’s no reason to go back to court. Parents fail to realize that they can modify existing agreements or make new agreements with minimal involvement from the court. Parents only need a strategy and an experienced attorney on their side to modify the agreement to work for both of them and their children.

Back-to-school child custody tips for parents:

• Create a simple parenting agreement: Both parents should create a simple and consistent parenting agreement that outlines which parent the child will be with on school nights and weekends. If your child will take the bus to school or will partake in extracurricular activities, you should keep your custody agreement simple. Making it too specific can make it confusing for both parents and children because your child’s schedule could vary weekly.
• Plan ahead: Back-to-school can be filled with parent-teacher conferences and sports games. It is helpful to create a plan that dictates which parent will be attending certain school events and where your child will be spending time on days off/holidays.
• Track all school expenses: Although custodial parents generally pay for back-to-school supplies and clothes, the other parent can keep copies of receipts to offer a record of what was purchased for compensation. This can help reduce confusion in the future.

An Experienced Southern California Child Custody Lawyer Can Help!

Dealing with the challenges of this time of year is overwhelming, and parents can always use a helping hand. Turning to an expert can help you create a successful parenting plan to address unresolved and challenging issues. The Southern California child custody attorneys at Edgar & Dow are here to help you and your former partner clarify problems and find the best solution possible for your situation. Our firm has decades of collective experience, and we have handled hundreds of family law cases that bettered the lives children throughout Southern California. Let our team help during this back to school season! We have offices throughout Riverside, Temecula, Anaheim, and Palm Desert.

Contact our Southern California child custody attorneys today for a free, no-obligation consultation at (888) 251-9618!