As the school year begins, parents are starting to get back into a routine with their child. School, as it is, can be both exciting and stressful for children. Now, with COVID-19 and most schools going online for the foreseeable future, it is more important than ever to be a strong support system for your child.
For co-parents, this means battling the long-awaited hurdles of juggling online schooling and child custody. At Wasserman Family Law, we believe in helping our clients come to resolutions that are in the best interest of the child.
Here are our top nine back-to-school tips for co-parents:
1. Focus on the child and their needs. As we begin the new school year, it is imperative for co-parents to set aside their differences and come together to support their child.
2. Be friendly to one another at school and sports events. If your child’s school has any in-person events that both you and your ex attend, remember to be cordial with one another. At the very least, greet one another and go your separate ways.
3. Make sure the child communicates with the other parent while they are away. If it is your time to have custody of your child, remember to encourage them to touch base with the other parent. It is important for your child to maintain communication with both parents. Even if it is simply to say hi and let them know they have been picked up from school for the weekend.
4. Notify the school to copy both parents on all communications. If you let the school know as soon as possible, you can avoid miscommunications about important school notices and updates.
5. Set up a shared calendar for important dates. On a similar note, avoid scheduling conflicts or miscommunication by using a shared calendar. Google Calendar or Our Family Wizard has worked for many of our clients, but whatever platform you and your ex will update and check regularly is best.
6. Decide on a protocol for homework on each parent’s days. Since the child will be in two different households throughout the school year, it is important to agree upon how homework will be managed. Will you and your ex check-in on the child and their progress with their homework every evening? Or will you keep track of their homework’s due dates to ensure it is done on time? It all depends on your child and their individual needs.
7. Make sure both parents have school supplies on hand for the child. Homework and transporting the child from home-to-home will be a lot easier if both parents make an effort to have the proper school supplies.
8. Consider having a folder (physical or online) for the parents to use for transferring important documents or items back and forth. This way, the child does not need to be burdened with any adult responsibilities.
9. Try your best to keep any child custody or support issues away from the child. As you co-parent with your ex, disagreements are bound to come up. Try your best not to involve the child in your arguments.
If you and your ex have a difficult time coming to agreements, we encourage you to contact us for help. Our team can help advise you on the best solutions for your individual needs.
In addition to being an experienced family law attorney, Laurie M. Wasserman is also a certified Parent Coordinator (PC). Laurie can meet with you and your ex (virtually if preferred) to help make shared decisions for your child(ren). PCs are a more affordable and quicker alternative to going through the legal system. Learn more about Parent Coordination here.