How Do I Split Summer Vacation With My Coparent in Illinois?

 Posted on May 30, 2024 in Adoption

Among the many decisions that need to be made during a divorce is how to split parenting time. Parenting time is when a parent has physical custody of his or her child. In Illinois, both parents are entitled to equal parenting time with their child by default. A court will award one parent more parenting time if it is in the child’s best interest.

There are many ways to split parenting time between two divorced parents. This includes dividing holidays and summer vacation with the child. It is not always clear which schedule is the right one for you and your child, however, so consult with an Illinois family lawyer before committing to a parenting schedule.

How Do We Decide How to Split Parenting Time?

When two parents get divorced in Illinois they are required to create a parenting plan. This is a document that details how the spouses will parent the child after the divorce. A major part of the parenting plan is the parenting time schedule, which outlines how the spouses will divide the weeks, holidays, and summer vacations with the child.

There are two ways a parenting time schedule can be decided:

• Ideally, the parents will agree on a parenting schedule and create the parenting plan together. They will then submit it to the court for approval. In this case, the parents can create any parenting schedule they want.

• If they do not agree between themselves, however, each parent will submit his or her own parenting plan and a court will create one for them. The court will likely choose a common parenting schedule according to the best interests of the child rather than a custom-made one.

How Are Summer Vacations Usually Divided?

Common options for parenting schedules during summer vacation include:

• 50/50: The parents split summer vacation more or less evenly so that the child will spend a month or so with Parent A, and the remainder of the break with Parent B.

• Alternating years: Parent A spends the whole summer vacation with the child one year, then swaps with Parent B the next year.

• Fixed: Parent A always has the child for summer vacation and Parent B has the child for all holidays.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Child Custody Attorney

There is a variety of parenting schedules that are used by divorced parents, but not all of them are compatible with all lifestyles. Consult an experienced Wheaton, Illinois child custody attorney who can help you decide on the right parenting schedule for you and help you create a parenting plan.

At Davi Law Group, we create parenting plans that are tailor-made for the circumstances of each case. Our attorneys will keep your and your child’s best interests in focus when helping you decide on a parenting schedule and plan. Contact 630-657-5052 for a free consultation today.