Pennsylvania parents who decide to divorce may be concerned about their kids heading into the new school year. A new academic year can be an exciting and stressful time for families no matter their circumstances, as kids generally look forward to new classes, teachers and friends. However, when children head back to school for the first time since their parents’ divorce, additional anxiety could enter the picture, particularly as children get adjusted to traveling between their parents’ homes. Parents can take some actions to support their kids during the back-to-school season and throughout the year.
While it can be awkward for parents to come together so soon after their divorce, co-parenting can make it worthwhile. When both parents can sit down with the kids to talk about plans, concerns and fears for the coming school year, children can feel supported and empowered. They can work with both parents to create goals, and both parents can later help their children to achieve those goals during their parenting time.
The school year can also come with conferences, field trips, sports, performances and a number of other events. When parents and kids are also dealing with a custody and visitation schedule, planning can easily get confusing. However, an online shared calendar can help both parents and kids stay on top of all of these activities.
Another issue that can arise with the new school year is the cost of additional school activities, from field trips to extracurriculars to uniforms. A family law attorney can work with a divorcing parent to ensure that the settlement contains an agreement about these costs in addition to matters like property division and child custody.