Cooperatively co-parenting after the end of a relationship isn’t easy, but it can be beneficial for everyone in the family. Children benefit from lower-conflict custody arrangements, and parents can focus more on what matters when they spend less time fighting with each other.
Cooperatively co-parenting requires patience and appropriate communication skills. It also requires advance planning on the part of the parents. The more details they integrate into their parenting plan, the less likely they are to find themselves butting heads about parenting decisions later. For example, parents preparing for a time-sharing arrangement in Florida may need to include specific provisions about summer vacation and travel so that the adults can plan enjoyable activities without ending up in a dispute.
How can parents address summer vacation and family travel in a parenting plan?
With realistic limitations
Having rules about where and when parents travel is a smart choice. Perhaps the children are still in grade school. It might be reasonable to limit vacation travel to within the state or general region until they are older. Maybe one parent has a very demanding job and cannot adjust their work schedule to accommodate the travel plans of the other. It may be necessary to implement rules limiting travel plans to someone’s pre-scheduled parenting time. Including the right restrictions on travel in a Florida parenting plan can establish clear expectations and help the adults avoid unnecessary conflict when one parents wants to take the children on an adventure.
With communication rules
One of the reasons that travel sometimes triggers co-parenting conflicts is that it interferes with the regular maintenance of a parent-child relationship. Having expectations for communication if the children go on vacation with one parent could make the other parent feel comfortable about letting them leave. Beyond that, co-parents may also want to implement rules limiting what either adult shares on social media related to the children, including when they are on vacation. Many people want to brag about their good fortune to others, but social media sharing can cause a host of unintended secondary consequences.
Integrating thoughtful terms into a Florida parenting plan can make sharing parental responsibilities less contentious. Adults who have a plan to cooperate with one another may find it easier to manage the stress of co-parenting than those who address issues as they arise.
