Co-parenting during spring break doesn’t have to be hard

Even if it feels like the school year just started back up after the winter holiday, spring break is already around the corner. This week-long break is a popular time for families to travel for vacation, and you might even have plans in the works. But co-parenting during spring break can actually be more difficult than you might think.

Working within the parameters of your child custody agreement is important, even if spring break seems insignificant in the long run. From kindergarten through high school, he or she will only have 13 of these breaks. Sure, that might seem like a lot. However, when you think about how quickly the years pass, it really is not.

Should I alternate years?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for co-parenting over spring break. A common approach is to simply switch off every year. One year, your child will spend the break with his or her other parent, and then the following year with you. Other than happy vacation memories, most people do not have strong sentimental attachments to this school break. Alternating years is a lot easier when neither one of you feel like you are missing out on too much.

Of course, this does not mean that you will not feel like this anyway. In fact, you might even start to emphasize a higher value on things like spring break and other small school holidays. If you or your ex feel this way, swapping off years may not be the best idea.

Can we split spring break?

A solution to feeling like you are missing out is to simply split the break. Your child will spend the first part of spring break with one parent and the second part with the other. This gives both of you the opportunity to vacation with your child. And if you do not plan to go anywhere? You can simply enjoy the time off school together.

There is another option, but parents use it much less frequently. This is to actually spend time together with your child and his or her other parent. This solution is not for everyone, but parents who are still amicable and friendly with one another might find that it works well for them.

Include spring break in your custody agreement

You probably did not forget about the big holidays, like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Summer break is easy to remember, too. But Texas parents frequently forget about all those little breaks throughout the school year.

Since your custody agreement should protect your child’s best interests, the last thing you want is to gloss over important details. Or maybe your custody agreement only vaguely addresses co-parenting during spring break, and you and your ex cannot decide on what to do. No matter the situation, you should be sure to have the right help on your side. An experienced attorney can uphold your legal rights while you are dealing with complicated custody issues.