When it comes to visitation rights in California, the summer can be a challenging time. It can be hard to plan for vacations and other summertime activities for your children if you have to abide by a custody agreement requiring your child to spend time with the other parents on certain days of the week. Parents can guard their time with the children and refuse to move dates around to accommodate your summer plans for your children.

Sticking to the schedule laid out in the parenting agreement or child custody order issued by the court is important. Summer schedules can be different for both children and parents, and a parenting schedule that works for everyone during the school year may not work during the summer.

Visitation Rights in California: Asking for a Separate Summer Schedule

In San Diego, parents can ask the court to approve a summer schedule that is different from the rest of the year and takes into account some of the challenges of summer childcare and activities. If you have a specific summer parenting schedule, you should try to only sign up your child for camps and programs during your time. In some cases, the court order on custody can set out dates that each parent gets to take the child on an extended vacation.

Some situations are unavoidable, and if a parent anticipates signing the child up for a summer camp that will extend to the other parent’s time, she has to work with the other parent. For example, the parent wants the child to attend a 10-day summer camp, with three of the days falling on the other parent’s time, there needs to be some negotiating between the parties.

Visitation Rights in California: Swapping Out Summer Days

If the parents have a good relationship, they can agree to swap days and let the child attend the summer camp. It helps if both parents know of the camp dates in advance and can make the necessary arrangements in time, as opposed to one parent making the decisions and then asking for the compromise. A parent who wants to sign up the child for summer camp can also use his court ordered vacation days to let the child attend the full length of the camp on his parenting time.

Visitation Rights in California: Cooperating When You Have To Share Child Custody

While it is not impossible, swapping vacation and other parenting time with the other parent takes a great deal of cooperation. Remember that if you do not have other plans, being flexible with your time can help you down the line when you want to exchange a few days with the other parent.

At the end of the day, the custody order has to be followed, even when it comes to summer camps and other activities, and working together can save everyone a lot of stress. Parents should also try to work out any scheduling conflicts among themselves without involving the children.

Contact Us for Legal Assistance

Child custody and visitation issues are some of the most difficult to deal with during a divorce. Working for the best interest of the child should always be the goal of both parents. If you have custody issues and need to seek modification on a prior custody order, you should contact a compassionate and experienced child custody lawyer in San Diego at JWB Family Law.