As spring break approaches, you and your co-parent may be considering a way you can both spend the time with the kids, even if your custody agreement has you splitting the break. If you have an amicable relationship, you may even be considering a family vacation. Is that a good idea? It could be.
A family vacation can let you and your co-parent both spend more time with the kids while also letting each of you take some time for yourselves that you might not be able to do if you were the sole parent on the trip. Assuming that the two of you get along, it can also be good for your kids to see that. If the breakup is still new, however, you want to be sure that your children don’t get their hopes up for a reconciliation that’s not going to happen.
You need to have a plan
If you think you can do it, you and your co-parent need to agree on some things before you make reservations. For example:
- How will you divide the expenses?
- Will anyone else be joining you (like a grandparent)?
- What kind of accommodations will you have?
Make sure you have a large enough place to allow everyone their space. Renting a home (unless you already have a vacation home or timeshare) is usually the best way to go. You definitely need enough space that you and your ex aren’t sleeping in the same room
Post-divorce family vacations definitely aren’t right for everyone. You might want to start with a day or even a weekend trip someplace nearby before you find yourselves far from home and not getting along. If family getaways are going to be a regular part of your co-parenting, even if just once or twice a year, you may want to add some modifications to your custody agreement and parenting plan. Don’t make any modifications to your plan, however, without legal guidance.
