CSG Law Alert: Navigating the Slippery Slopes of Parenting Time During Winter Break
Successfully planning vacation time for your children’s winter break should not be difficult. Before booking flights for a magical, or a once-in-a-lifetime ski trip or other vacation, with your children, consider the following tips to ensure that your parenting time is smooth sailing:
Re-Read the Holiday Provisions in Your Divorce Agreement or Parenting Plan or Order
First, check to see what schedule you and your co-parent have already in place. Every agreement is different, some agreements alternate parenting time during holidays, and breaks, some follow the regular schedule. Make sure you do not mistakenly buy plane tickets or make other plans during your co-parent’s parenting time. Some agreements, orders, or plans require parents to select vacation or travel days by a date certain each year.
Plan to and Communicate Your Plan in Advance
Whenever traveling with your children, make sure your co-parent is aware of the itinerary information in advance of the anticipated travel dates and that you abide by your obligations to provide notice under your agreement, plan or order. When the time comes to depart for your dream vacation with your children, your compliance with your existing obligations will prevent your co-parent from ruining your trip. If your plans change (and flight plans can change at a moment’s notice) communicate with your co-parent in a civil manner the new schedule and your children’s whereabouts, as soon as possible
Plan for communication between your child and co-parent during any downtime and encourage your children to speak with your co-parent over the phone or use Facetime to avoid interruptions to your quality time. Sending pictures of your children to your co-parent during your trip may be a good way to assure the co-parent that the children have advanced beyond the bunny slope, are safe and are enjoying their time.
Co-Parent Travel Authorization
If you plan to travel internationally with your children, be prepared. You will need your children’s passports, and you should also have with you for emergency a notarized letter acknowledging that your children are traveling outside the country with you and the consent of your children’s co-parent. Some common carriers, cruise lines, and travel companies even require such documents before departure.
For more on this topic, contact the attorneys in the Family Law Group at CSG Law.