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Parenting Plans and Summer Break

Summer break from school is here, which means your child or children are out of school. If you have a parenting plan, you should have delineated the timesharing schedule for the summer. It is usually customary that both parents have two consecutive weeks during the summer with the children. That way the parent can take the child or children on a vacation. The parenting plan should include whether travel within the United States is allowed and whether international travel is allowed. If travel is allowed in the parenting plan, then the parenting plan should delineate the requirements for out of state travel and out of country travel. Many parenting plans include that a parent must provide the other parent with a travel itinerary and telephone contact numbers. That way the other parent knows where the child or children will be traveling and where they will be staying.  

Remember, if you plan a vacation, you want to make sure the other parent will not challenge that. You do not want to miss a vacation. Some parents are difficult, even when something is clearly spelled out in the parenting plan. You should be able to point out in the parenting plan, the page and paragraph that allows you to do what you are requesting. The last thing you want to do is to have to litigate the issue. It is important to consider that it can take several months to get a hearing before a judge to have your vacation issue heard. It is best to have everything spelled out well in advance. That will save you stress and headaches from a spouse who is not agreeing to this. You do not want to deal with that at the last minute. Many parenting plans include a date that both parents should advise the other parent when they will exercise their vacation privileges. That is usually done to avoid last minute confusion. 

If you have a long distance parenting plan, one parent may have the child or children for a good part of the summer. Make sure that you have everything organized regarding the child or children’s travel to visit you well in advance of your summer timesharing. That includes which airline you will be using, who pays for the airline ticket, and whether the minor must be accompanied by an adult on the trip. This should all be in your parenting plan. This should all be done well in advance. That is especially true if you have a difficult ex-spouse who will cause you problems. You generally know whether your ex- spouse is cordial and will work with you to accommodate your vacation schedule with the child or children, or whether they will create roadblocks, so plan accordingly.

HAPPY TRAVELS, AND HAVE A GREAT VACATION! 

If you have more questions regarding a Marital and Family Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation. You may also visit my website at: https://www.annmariegildenlaw.com