Summer Visitation
What is Considered Summer Vacation in Terms of Child Custody?
Generally, in terms of child custody, summer visitation is considered the period between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next. Since school is not in session, arrangements for what your children will be doing during this newfound time are needed. Fortunately, there are plenty of possibilities, from vacations and summer camps to extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, these require planning and coordination between the parents, which can be difficult for divorced parents, especially when conflicts arise.
A well-defined summer custody schedule helps ease these conflicts by providing certainty for making travel and vacation plans, requesting time off from work, arranging childcare, and planning for camp and other children's activities during the summer months. Most importantly, it allows your children to experience summer camps and vacations to their fullest.
Review Your Custody Order Before Making Summer Plans
Before booking travel or enrolling a child in camp, review the custody order and parenting plan. Some custody schedules include specific summer visitation dates, notice deadlines, transportation requirements, or rules for selecting vacation weeks. If the summer custody provisions conflict with the regular parenting schedule, the order should indicate which schedule takes priority.
Top Things to Think About Related to Summer Custody Schedules
Routine Schedule
The starting point for any summer plan is the general pattern that will be followed when school is not in session. Parents may choose to continue same schedule year-round or divide the summer into longer portions, such as alternating weeks or assigning the first half to one parent and the second half to the other. The right summer custody arrangement should account for the child's age, activities, relationships, and need for consistency
Summer Visitation for a Non-Custodial Parent
Summer visitation for non-custodial parent households may provide longer periods of parenting time than the regular school-year schedule. Extended visits can support the parent-child relationship, especially when the parents live far apart. Plans should clearly identify pickup and return times, transportation responsibilities, and communication expectations.
Vacations
During the summer, extended uninterrupted time allows each parent to take vacations and make memories with their children. Consider agreeing that each parent may take the children on vacation for two (or more) uninterrupted weeks. We recommend having a notification deadline well in advance for claiming your summer weeks each year.
Planning a Child Custody Summer Vacation
Travel plans should include destinations, dates, contact information, and transportation details when required by the parenting plan or custody order. Parents should also discuss schedule changes, missed parenting time, and emergency communication before the trip begins.
Summer Camps
Ideally, plan for these early so they will not conflict with summer vacations. Be sure to plan for how costs related to camps will be handled and disagreements about which camps the child attends. The plan should also identify who handles registration, transportation, equipment, and communication with camp staff.