Back to School: The Challenges Divorced Parents Face With a New School Year
The children are back in school. Sports and other activities are gearing up. Club fees, lunch money, sports equipment, school supplies - the expenses are piling up! Plus, the schedule is impossible. Are the kids supposed to be with Dad on Thursdays, but one child has football games and the other has dance practice? It may be time for a modification. Or, at the very least, a pro-active discussion to work all this out.
As children grow up, their needs get more costly and their schedules get busier. The Standard Possession Order (SPO) may be difficult when activity schedules conflict, especially if the parents don’t both live near the children’s activities. It is essential that parents keep the children’s best interest in mind as they work through the financial stress and scheduling chaos that can be part of the back to school season.
If parents find it difficult to put aside their own feelings and work together, the children will suffer. A qualified family mediator can assist parents who are divorced or in the process of divorce with these issues. A mediator will serve as a neutral third party to help parents work together to develop a plan that best serves the needs of all.
Whether you need a full parenting plan, a modification to an existing plan, or just some help navigating a rough patch, a family mediator can help make Back to School easier and less stressful for kids and parents alike.