Divorced parents like you know what a challenge summer can be. With the transition that happens when your children stop attending school and start their summer activities, as well as the yearly family vacation, summer is possibly one of the most hectic times of the year for co-parents.

So how do divorced parents get through it? For starters, revisiting your co-parenting plan with your co-parent and making adjustments now for any foreseeable roadblocks can help make this summer the best summer yet!

Ready for some fun in the sun?

Try these four co-parenting tips:

Plan, Plan, Plan

Working out a schedule for the day-to-day activities that your kids are involved with will make it easier to adjust when the unexpected happens. Sit down with your co-parent and come up with a strategy for juggling work and parenting responsibilities. And remember: your kids’ needs should come first.

Summer is an exciting time for your children. Don’t let any disagreements that you and your co-parent have tarnish the memories they will have of this formative part of growing up.

Work on Your Flexibility

If you want to give your kids a supportive, edifying summer, it’s a good time to start working on your flexibility. Co-parenting is all about compromise, with your co-parent and your children, so if you know how to be flexible, then summer will be a breeze.

Just remember that flexibility does not equal becoming a doormat. You’ve got to give a little to get a little, but don’t let that inch you give turn into a mile.

Get Your Kids’ Input

Your summer co-parenting schedule affects your kids just as much as it affects you and your co-parent. Talking to them about their wants and needs can help make the transition to summer life a lot easier. Especially for older children who have jobs or extracurricular activities during the summer, coming up with a schedule that works for everyone is critical.

Consider Sharing a Vacation with Your Co-Parent

A joint trip is probably the last thing that most divorced couples would want to do. However, many co-parents and blended families have had success with this coordinating strategy. After all, figuring out when you can take off work so you can spend time with your kids is difficult enough—when you have to coordinate with your co-parent to make sure everyone gets equal time, it can be even harder.

Try blocking off a week or longer that works with everyone’s schedule. If you want to, you can split time with your kids once you reach your destination. However, as some families’ experience demonstrates, children can benefit emotionally from spending time with both of their co-parents at the same time, as well any step-parents that are part of your blended family.

We hope that these tips help you and your family have a fantastic, stress-free summer. If you need help coming up with a co-parenting strategies for the summer, call the family law experts at AM Law in Miami.