Traveling with your kids is an exciting experience to share as a family. Not only are you creating new memories with them but also strengthening your emotional connections together.
However, as you start to prepare for your out-of-state plans, you must also ensure that you honor the details in your shared custody arrangement with your ex. Here are two tips on how you can successfully travel with your children under a shared custody order:
Review the agreed terms in your custody and parenting plan
While you may already know about the ins and outs of your joint custody arrangements, it is never too much to review your document and re-assess its contents. This step not only helps keep your itinerary free of errors but also reassures you that everything in it reflects your children’s best interests.
Additionally, your parenting plan may have specific rules regarding travels, including details about the required notice period and the non-traveling parent’s written consent.
Communicate with your ex as early as possible
When you inform your ex of your upcoming trip in advance, you make them feel important and included as a parent. Here are five key matters about the trip that you can discuss as co-parents:
- When and where the trip will take place
- How many days will you be away for
- How can you be reached in case of an emergency
- When can your ex call your children
- Will there be any changes to the visitation schedule
If your trip will indeed collide with your ex’s schedule with your children, you must let them know how you plan to make up for their lost visitation days. With this healthy co-parenting practice, you can minimize the occurrence of stress and misunderstandings.
Preparation is key to a successful family trip
Taking a trip outside of the country will require more complex planning and documentation from your end. To help ensure that your paperwork is prepared with precision, you can seek assistance from a family law attorney.
With their experience, they can review your documents and make sure they meet all the jurisdictional requirements.
