Parents in California and elsewhere will ideally create a plan to share custody of their children over the summer months as early as possible. A set plan can reduce stress for both the adults and the children who must live with them. The first step in determining who gets custody of a child and when is consulting the parenting plan. In many cases, this will only be a starting point in terms of what the summer months will look like.
It is not a problem to deviate from the plan as the needs of the parents and child change. It is also important to not get too hung up on minor details that may not matter many months or years from now. Ideally, parents will show each other the respect that they deserve and will refrain from doing or saying anything negative in the presence of the children.
The entire goal of a summer parenting plan is to provide stability for a son or daughter. It should also be used to create boundaries and expectations that they will need to abide by regardless of who they are living with. Typically, children do better when they know the rules and when they know where they will be at any given time.
The best interests of the child should be paramount when it comes to determining how custody is shared over any given period of time. This is true whether decisions are being made for an upcoming summer break or any other time during a child’s life. Parents may be able to bring in a mediator to help resolve disputes that they cannot solve on their own. An attorney may also be able to help a parent preserve their rights to a son or daughter.