Back to the routines, the packed lunches, the pickup and drop-off coordination and the signup sheets-its back to school time across the country and New York residents are probably trying to ease their children as well as themselves back into the routine. One way to ease the transition is to get together with a former spouse and try to plan the next year in advance as much as possible to avoid child custody or support disputes that could soil the amicable relationship divorced parents are trying to maintain.
The school calendar is pretty much laid out for parents at the beginning of the year-breaks, early dismissals and days off are pointed out and should be planned for. Who will have the kids on which day off and who is going to manage those childcare expenses? Additionally, who will be with the children if they get sick and need to be picked off and who is going to cover those expenses? What activities is the child signing up for and who is going to transport the child to and fro these activities? These need to be sorted out as much as possible in the beginning of the school year and shared between parents.
The logistics are not the only issue to discuss though-the cost is also something to keep in mind. Whereas the child support agreement usually covers the basic items that a child needs on a daily basis such as clothes, food and shelter, it usually doesn’t take into account extra expenses that add up every year. Who is going to pay for the sporting equipment or for events such as homecoming? Some parents like to divide up each expense equally while others prefer divvying up the categories and covering everything in that category.
Every family is different and needs a unique approach to address their family law issues post divorce. What is common through most of them though is that parents want the best for their children and will attempt to achieve it.