Back to school tips for parents after divorce

The back to school season can be wrought with changes and new schedules for both children and parents. After parents go through a divorce, the changes in schedules can multiply and become more difficult to keep up with. Pennsylvania parents may want to follow a few tips for making the back to school season smoother for everyone after a divorce.

One tip for parents is to work out the details of back to school shopping and expenses in advance. A parent can keep track of receipts to help each parent figure out their respective financial obligations for expenses, such as clothes, school supplies and sports needs. Another tip is to keep track of events by ensuring both parents have copies of schedules or school calendars and openly communicate about transportation responsibilities to school events.

It is recommended that parents discuss the change in the family situation with the teacher. If made aware of a recent divorce, the teacher can work with the family to ensure information reaches all parties. Parents can ask for duplicates of permission slips, homework reports and other important papers.

When parents go through a divorce, there are many decisions they may still have to make together, especially when children are involved. The challenges of schedules and coordinating activities can all be solved through a parenting plan. For Pennsylvania parents, a parenting plan may be altered or revised as a child grows and that child’s needs evolve. Sometimes, circumstances change and the original custody and/or parenting plan may no longer be suitable. In those instances, a formal petition to modify an existing court order may be necessary.

Source: seasidecourier.com, “Back to school tips for divorced parents”, Myra Chack Fleischer, July 30, 2014