Custody and Co-Parenting for Back-To-School

Getting Ready for the New School Year

As stores all over roll out their new back-to-school deals and final preparations for the upcoming school year are being finalized, there may still be lingering questions. Co-parents may still be determining how to approach the upcoming year in light of a custody agreement. Here are some things to keep in mind about custody and back-to-school season.

Prepare to Cooperate and Coordinate

The beginning of a new academic year is a crucial time for a child to know that both parents have their back going into the classroom. If they think that you both will merely fight all the time, their performance in the classroom could suffer. Understand that while there certainly may be some frustrations in coordinating everything related to custody exchanges and activities, keeping the mind open to this coordination as well as being willing to cooperate with the other parent can go a long way in helping your child feel accepted going into school.

Keep Co-Parents Informed of News and Changes

While this does not require that you and your ex-spouse communicate all the time and become best friends, keeping a line of communication open as it relates to important information about your child can lend itself to greater success throughout the school year. If your child is struggling with classwork, staying informed can help both of you learn how best to help your child and assist them in moving forward with their studies.

It is becoming more common for Rhode Island courts to order co-parents to use co-parenting apps to foster good communication. Many of these apps include useful tools such as calendars, file sharing capabilities, expense trackers, secure messaging, and other additional features to help co-parenting go as smoothly as possible. Apps such as Our Family Wizard and 2Houses have increased in both usage and popularity among co-parents, even if their use is assigned by a judge.

Keep Your Child As Your Focus

It can be very easy to focus on your own interests when co-parenting. Trying to shuffle your child back and forth to activities and the other co-parent’s house can be tiresome, and taking out those frustrations on your ex-spouse is much easier to do. However, it is more important to keep the best interests of your child at the forefront of your decision-making. This includes as much civility around your ex-spouse when your child is around.

Enlist a Rhode Island Attorney If Needed

If situations arise where your custody agreement is not being followed as it should, it is important to consult with an attorney who can help you remedy the situation as quickly as possible. At Assalone Lombardi, LLC, we know how important it is to spend as much time with your child as possible, which is why we’re committed to helping you work out solutions to custody issues.

To schedule a consultation with a member of our team, call us at (401) 589-5599 or visit us online.