Should Your Child Go Back to School?

As summer ends, parents and children will have to consider their options for the upcoming school year. Determining whether or not your child will go back to school is a big decision and it is possible you and your co-parent may be at odds. As always, communication is key to resolving these disputes. Each parent should be informed on what the back to school process looks like and be in communication with one another about what option they believe is best. With COVID-19 changing every day, keep an open mind to what the options are for the fall 2020 school year. It is important to be open to your co-parents' concerns when the health of the child is involved. Being receptive and respecting their concerns is important to effective co-parenting. During these unprecedented times, the most important thing is to act in the best interest of the child, which may mean being flexible and compromising. If you and your co-parent are in dispute regarding what the best option is for your family, mediation can be a great resource to come to a resolution on this matter. 

One major issue that may come up in regards to the fall school year is child care. Schedules may change as the child goes back to school, and the current parenting time in place may not work for each parent any longer. If there is a court order in place that will not work going into the fall school year, communicate with your co-parent and try to come to a resolution on a temporary change that will work for both parents. If your co-parent is requesting a change, try to be receptive and understanding as everyone is doing the best they can to maneuver this challenging time. If both parents are unable to offer additional or a change in parenting time, ask a third party if they have availability. This could mean a family member or a childcare service. If additional expenses must be incurred as a result, attempt to come to an agreement on costs being split among the parties. 

Remote learning is a challenge that every parent is dealing with right now, and it does not appear to be going away with the 2020 school year. Some issues that may arise with remote learning are one home may be better equipped to facilitate remote learning, a child may respond to one parent more than the other, and one parent’s work schedule may not allow for time to engage in remote learning. Parents need to communicate with one another and determine what the best remote learning option is for their child. Apps such as Talking Parents and Our Family Wizard should be used for parents to check in and make sure the children are being kept up to date on school curriculum. Parents also should communicate to ensure that consistency is being maintained. It is expected that both parents get on the same page to facilitate remote learning in equal or similar environments, support one another, and communicate about issues the child may experience.

NOTICE: This blog is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be construed as providing legal advice. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have regarding this blog post.