Creating Your Colorado Summer Parenting Plan

When it comes to summer break, kids immediately get excited about the activities, vacations, time with friends, less early mornings, and more fun. However, for kids entering their first summer with separated parents, these sunshine-filled months can be more stressful than exciting.

“Things like summer break are important to kids in ways that parents don’t think about,” licensed clinical and forensic psychologist Michael Wilbourn, Psy. D said. “As such, kids need a summer parenting schedule that normalizes their life and simplifies things.”

While we understand it’s a difficult time for you, it’s important to take as much stress off your child as possible. Try to keep their schedule relatively similar where you can and adjust where you must. Always communicate with them if age appropriate—don’t leave them guessing! Help your kid have a fun summer, even if you aren’t feeling the most spirited yourself.

Child-Friendly Plans

Are you uncertain about how to create a parenting plan? When it comes to child custody plans or parenting plans, there are two important factors involved: parenting time and the allocation of decision-making responsibilities.

Parenting time schedules determine how much time the child involved will spend with either parent. This includes splitting time between major holidays, vacations, extracurricular activities, and any other day-to-day occurrences that affect the child. A good parenting time schedule also takes into account details such as travel time, pick-up and drop-off times, as well as meeting locations.

The decision-making aspect of a parenting plan dictates which parent will be in charge of making certain decisions pertaining to the child’s life. These decisions can range from which extracurricular activities the child will be involved in, to which doctor the child will see.

Parents who keep their children top-of-mind while creating a parenting plan will ultimately come up with a plan that is fair for both parents and puts the best interest of the child first. As your children get older, especially in their teenage years, it’s important to make sure they are able to maintain a connection to their life and friends. These social relationships are critical to their development and should be taken into consideration when dividing up parenting time.

“Parents should do their best to live close to each other,” family law attorney and mediator Rachel L. Baumel said. According to Baumel, children are put in difficult positions when they can’t be on a consistent activity schedule, and with the same friend group growing up.

Wilbourn echoed the sentiment and explained that once the kids are in their later teens and have their own friends, schedules, sports, work, and more, parents should create a plan to fit their kid’s schedule best. “That is one thing the parent fails at the most,” he said.

There are no “one-size-fits-all” parenting plans. Each child is unique and requires a plan created just for them. “Families are not like cookie cutters,” forensic investigator for custody matters Carol Reinert, MA LPC said. “While I have guidelines that I start with, there is no rule that applies to all families or all children.” She explained that children, even in the same family, might have different needs than their siblings.

Finding the Right Schedule

Creating the best parenting time schedule for yourself and your former spouse is tricky, especially during the summer months. The more flexible you can be with the schedule, the better.

“First and foremost, don’t fight with the other parent over the schedule or last-minute changes,” Wilbourn said. “That creates the most stress for kids and messes up their summer.”

Baumel explained the importance of being as kind as you can with the other parent to help ease stress. “Try to be thoughtful and kind in working with the other parent, and typically the more thoughtful and kind they will be in return,” she said.

Since you know your child and their needs better than anyone else, it’s best to come up with a summer schedule together, rather than getting the court involved. A parenting plan created jointly between both parents is more likely to be successful and followed than one mandated by a judge.

If you and your former spouse are unable to come to an agreement on a summer parenting plan, the court may assign a third-party Child and Family Investor (CFI) or a Parental Responsibility Evaluator (PRE)  to recommend a parenting time schedule based on the below criteria, as well as what is in the best interest of the child. These criteria can also be used to help you and your former spouse create a summer parenting plan.

Items to Consider

• The location of both parents and the periods of time during which each parent will have parenting time with the child
• The child’s educational needs, such as summer school or tutoring
• The child’s religious training, if any
• The child’s healthcare needs
• Finances to provide for the child’s needs
• Which parent the child will spend key summer holidays with (i.e. Father’s Day and Fourth of July)
• Any family vacations planned throughout the summer
• Any other factors affecting the physical or emotional health and well-being of the child

“It’s important to remind parents that the kids didn’t vote for the divorce or conflict,” Wilbourn said. He explained that if the parents continue to have a power struggle, they will ruin these special times for their kids.

Communicating to Your Child

While you and your former spouse may be clear on the plan, it’s equally important for your kid to be aware. Kids can be surprisingly basic when it comes to their needs and want to know answers to questions like, “Where am I sleeping?” or “Where am I eating?” They will also feel much more comfortable if their questions are answered quickly. Make it clear where they will be staying and what days, when and where they will eat, how they will get to and from different activities, and more.

“The kids need to be told the plan if they are age appropriate,” Reinert said. “They need to be brought into the discussion.” She even suggested letting the child explain what they are looking for in the summer if they are old enough and considering their opinions, even if you’re not able to fully implement them.

If the children are younger, they don’t need to be told too many details, and the plan can be revolved around the parents’ schedules. Reinert suggested color-coded calendars to her clients, with the days marked in different colors for each parent. This calendar is easy for a younger child to follow. “The calendars can help them get into the rhythm of it,” she said.

Denver Kid’s Activities

Entertainment for the Curious Kid

• Denver Zoo
• Denver Museum of Nature and Science
• Downtown Aquarium
• Wow! Children’s Museum
• Dino Ridge

Entertainment for the Active Kid

• Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre
• Pedal boating at Washington Park
• Water World
• Big Time Fun Center (indoor trampoline park)
• Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park

Entertainment for the Adventurous Kid

• Confluence Park
• Washington Park
• City Park
• Sloan’s Lake Park
• Denver Botanic Gardens
• Butterfly Pavillion

Colorado Springs Kid’s Activities

Entertainment for the Curious Kid

• Bear Creek Nature Center
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
• Ghost Town Museum
• Western Museum of Mining and Industry

Entertainment for the Adventurous Kid

• Belleview Park
• Garden of the Gods
• Seven Falls
• Cave of the Winds

Entertainment for the Active Kid

• Battlefield Colorado (outdoor laser tag)
• Springs Trampoline Park
• Jump n Jacks Inflatable Fun
• Skate City Academy

Summer Planning Guidelines

Remember to plan your vacation time in advance, if possible, to avoid confusion and conflict further down the road. If last-minute trips arise, make sure you include information in your plan on how to address those situations. Also, remember that summer vacation dates should not infringe upon holiday visitation granted to the other parent.

Wilbourn recommended that parents in a child custody conflict need to establish their vacation 60 days in advance, at a minimum, to let the other parent know so that they can plan accordingly. Baumel also noted how important it is for parents to be truly flexible.

Remember to include the following details in your vacation plan:

• how long one parent can take a child on vacation for
• what date vacations have to be set by each summer
• any travel restrictions (such as taking the child overseas)

Travel itineraries and contact information should either be included in the plan or given to your former spouse before leaving on vacation, so they know where the child is at all times.

“Each parent should be obligated to let the other parent know their itinerary,” Reinert said. “They don’t need to say what they are doing every day but give a general schedule like we are flying here, or driving this route.” It’s just a matter of respect and safety to let the other parent know and doesn’t take more than a quick email.

Time frames should also be age appropriate. Reinert’s general rule of thumb is if the child is under five, they shouldn’t spend more than five days without seeing the other parent, after age five, no more than two weeks.

Start Planning Ahead

Dealing with the aftermath of a divorce is a challenge, especially when children are involved. To top it off, creating a parenting plan not only for the summer but year-round, can be challenging and confusing. Remembering to put the needs of your children first and a commitment to co-parenting can help ensure that your parenting plan is successful.

If you need help negotiating a parenting plan or parenting time schedule with your former spouse this summer, the experienced family law attorneys at Modern Family Law can help. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss the specifics of your case and take the first steps toward a happy and stress-free summer break.

Modern Family Law

Modern Family Law’s team of experienced family law attorneys takes a compassionate approach to the practice of family law. Using innovative technology to create an effective and efficient process for our clientele, our attorneys approach each case as a collective effort to find the best long-term solutions for each family. Our attorneys currently practice in Colorado, California, and Texas. Click the following link to view all of our family law locations. For more information please give us a call or fill out a short form online to sign up for a free consultation today! Let us make a positive difference in your life.