After working with a helpful Orange County family lawyer to finalize a divorce, parents may be left wondering how to coordinate parenting now that their children are in school. Taking the child’s age into consideration will help both parents raise children in a positive, consistent way.
Ages 6 through 12
While children 6 and under will mainly benefit from a solid, predictable schedule and consistent parental contact, children aged 6 through 12 need that stability and more. Both parents should maintain a good balance of productive time and fun time with their kids. During the school year, overnights might be allowed according to school schedules, and during the summer parents should structure free time in a balanced manner.
School must be a priority for everyone involved, and parents need to work together to maintain a similar level of expectations for their kids. For example, at both homes, children should be assigned similar levels of responsibility, the same bedtime, and similar homework schedules. Different sets of expectations can stress and confuse children.
Parents would do well to involve themselves in any way possible, from participating in the carpool to supervising school activities. Your Orange County family lawyer can help you decide other issues that may arise when deciding how to coordinate parenting of your 6-to-12 year old children.
Ages 13 through 17
Parenting kids through their teenage years will pose new challenges for divorced parents. While keeping predictable schedules, maintaining similar expectations, and participating in school activities as a chaperone are still important aspects of healthy parenting, teens will also require a careful balance of supervision and distance. Carpooling is a good way of spending time with teenagers without imposing on their desire for independence and social activities. Remain flexible with your teen; allowing them to bring along a friend on one of your scheduled outings can be a good compromise.
Contact Orange County family lawyer Bethanie Fanti at (714) 505-3108 to speak with an experienced family lawyer who understands the special challenges you will face as a divorced parent.