Divorcing Parents’ Guide to Back to School

 Posted on September 12, 2014 in Divorce

Summer vacation and a break from school means different things for different families. For some parents who got divorced or made the decision to do so, it may have been a summer of adjustment and even grief. Divorced and divorcing families certainly go through a lot, from changes in finances to emotional challenges. Having navigated these circumstances all summer, and perhaps getting into some sort of comfortable routine, the task of getting kids ready to go back to school may seem more daunting than ever. However, there are some things newly divorced or divorcing parents may want to consider in preparing to send their children back to the classroom.

Strategies

A recent article outlines five strategies that may be useful to employ with children who will be returning to school this year with divorced or divorcing parents in order to make the transition easier for them and to keep them on track during the school year.

1. Keep custody schedules consistent. Stick to the plan that was outlined in divorce proceedings regarding where children will go after school and stay on school nights and weekends. Having a consistent schedule will greatly benefit your children and work to eliminate any confusion they have as they begin a new school year under new circumstances.
2. Employ technology to lift communication barriers with an ex-spouse. Perhaps not surprisingly, many couples who have divorced continue to have trouble communicating with one another. Try to employ technological features, such as an online calendar, to keep track of kids’ schedules in a way that enables both parents to manage the children’s lives and effectively co-parent.
3. Keep school faculty informed of the family’s changing status. While it may not be a problem every child encounters, divorce often raises a stigma that a child must address. Keeping teachers and counselors aware of the situation will help them notice a situation that may deserve attention. A child’s behavior or performance in school may be a sign that he or she is struggling with their feelings.
4. Start a system for tracking and sharing expenses. Not all expenses will be addressed in a child support agreement. It is a good idea for newly divorced or divorcing parents to develop a way to address unexpected or extraordinary financial expenses, keep note of them, and decide how to share them as parents.
5. Stay unified as parents. Although divorced couples may no longer be partners in marriage, they are still partners in parenting if they have children in common. Keep things consistent from one house to another, including everything from rules to routines so kids enjoy the same basic expectations at each place.

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