Back to School

Kids return to school on Tuesday 06 September.  This may mean lots of changes for parenting arrangements.  Here’s a (partial) list of things each school year needs sorted out:

·       Emergency contacts.  Do these include the stepparents/new partners?

·       Who can pick up kids from school? Can stepparents/new partners?

·       Who will have the kids on non-instructional days, aka “Professional Development” days (Surrey has 7)? 

·       Holidays?  How will they be shared?

·       What about if a child is sick?  Who can stay home with him/her?

·       Field trip permissions? 

·       Parent-teacher meetings?  Both go together?  One goes and then reports to the other?  Alternate?  What about stepparents/new partners?

·       Report cards?  Who gets to log on the school website?  Who gets emails from teachers?

·       How will school expenses get paid: school fees, year book, sports gear, music instruments, field trips, Grad (OMG – they want limos now!)?

There are three options:

1.     Mature cooperation, focusing on what’s best for the kids, no need for lawyers;

2.     Every event is a battle, causing stress for parents and children; or

3.     Get a parenting schedule done up by the lawyers and then follow it.

If you and your ex-spouse get along and can resolve issues as they arise – good for you. 

For many ex-spouses, things you used to work out as a couple now seem to cause major battles.  Instead of fighting about everything – harming your children’s emotional health and your own – why not figure out some rules?  An experienced family lawyer can help.

Good family lawyers know how to minimize the fights between parents.  We know what issues can come up, and work to head off the conflicts.  A good family lawyer will help you work out parenting arrangements that make both parents comfortable.  More important, we will help make the kids feel safe and calm.  If you and your kids both know who’s supposed to pick them up after school, who is chaperoning that field trip, and whose names (and in what order) are on the school emergency call list – well, this school year could be the most peaceful you’ve had in years.

At Clear Legal, we’ve been bringing calm to families since 1990.