If this is your children’s first back-to-school season since you finalized your divorce, you can expect to encounter some challenges in the coming school year. Having a solid co-parenting plan in place can help mitigate stress and enable your children to maintain a sense of normalcy and routine in their school days, even if some things may be different from when you were married to their other parent. If child custody issues arise, it’s also good to have a support system in place to provide assistance as needed.
Perhaps you might have some unique issues to deal with as your kids prepare for their first school year since your divorce. Have their living arrangements changed? Will their usual school transportation routine be different this year from what they have been accustomed to in the past? As long as your ex is willing to cooperate, you can resolve child custody issues and help your kids move smoothly through the school year ahead.
It is probably best to inform teachers and coaches about your divorce
When children are learning to cope with their parents’ divorce, teachers and coaches often notice behavioral or performance changes in the kids at school. Letting the faculty at your children’s school know that you have gone through a divorce over the summer helps to build a support network for your kids. It also helps teachers and coaches be more aware so they know to contact you and/or your ex, if a problem arises.
Prepare a schedule of events for the school year
It might feel awkward if you arrive for a special event at your children’s school and your ex is there too, perhaps, with his or her new partner. To avoid stressful situations like this, it’s helpful to map out a calendar of events for meet-the-teacher night, sporting events, stage performances, etc. You might decide to take turns attending.
If there’s no tension between you and your co-parent, you might choose to attend school events at the same time. Any type of arrangement is fine as long as you and your ex agree on terms ahead of time.
Parental conflict can spark problems in your child’s school year
Divorce isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to ruin your child’s chances for a happy and successful school year. If you and your ex are constantly fighting over child custody issues or simply have a difficult time being in the same room together without arguing, it can cause a lot of stress for your kids. The less divorce-related parental conflict they’re exposed to, the better they may be able to cope.
Sometimes, conflict can’t be avoided, such as if your ex is disregarding the terms of an existing child custody order. Just because you want to shield your kids from being within earshot of adult discussions on the matter, that doesn’t mean you have to sit back and do nothing about the problem. The court does not look favorably upon a parent who disregards its orders. If you’re having trouble resolving a specific issue on your own, the court can intervene to help find a solution.
