If you’re a travel-centric family, vacations are likely something that you and the children look forward to every year; choosing a location, planning activities and spending quality time together are all a valued part of creating memories. With a divorce in your past and a new parenting schedule at hand, it may seem difficult to figure out how to recreate these memories with a changing family dynamic. So how do you find a new normal for your family vacations?
Many things change after a divorce. You and your ex-spouse may live in different places, and your kids spend time going between two houses. However, you don’t have to sacrifice your family values because of these changes. With a little extra planning, divorced parents can still plan fun and healthy vacations.
Talk To Your Spouse
If you’re on good terms with your ex-spouse, plan the vacation with them ahead of time. Be open and honest about the type of vacation you want or where you’d like to go. If you can both agree on a trip itinerary, it makes the future logistics easier. Remember to be considerate of your ex’s time with the kids. If you’re asking to take the children on a vacation during his/her allotted time, offer to switch some days out so they don’t feel like they’re losing their own valued time with the kids.
Get Proper Documentation
There’s more work involved in a post-divorce family vacation. Before leaving, you’ll want to get a written agreement that says you are allowed to take the children to a particular place. Travel documents should show when you are arriving and departing from your vacation locale. A professional law firm could help you draft these documents.
Even after a divorce, you could still have fun family vacations with your children. By working with an experienced lawyer — like those at Pacific Cascade Legal — you can finalize the logistics with your ex-spouse to make it easier for everyone involved.
Lewis Irwin Landerholm
Founding Partner
Lewis Landerholm realized the importance of family and justice from a very young age. With grandparents in the legal field, a mother in education and a father who was a domestic violence counselor, Lewis was raised by a family dedicated to helping people. His role models taught Lewis that the world is a complicated place where education and a helping hand could make all the difference.
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