Summer Holidays for Separated Parents

Starting to plan your summer holidays?  For parents who are separated arranging the children’s holidays can be difficult. 

It’s not just a question of finding somewhere nice which you can afford, but of agreeing on the arrangements with the children’s mother or father.  There are dates to agree, childcare arrangements to be made or unmade, and questions about where and with whom the children are going.

Here are some suggestions which should make things easier.

Discuss your plans well in advance;

Avoid making any firm commitments before you have an agreement, and if a face to face discussion is impossible, try communicating by telephone or email.  Texts are too brief and seldom work.  To avoid disappointment check the plans out with each other before telling your children.

Be polite; “ask” don’t “tell”.  The arrangements are your joint responsibility and unless the Court has made an Order, you are expected to discuss and agree on things together.

Remember, unless there is a Court Order, children should not be taken abroad without both parents’ agreement.  So don’t book foreign holidays until you have agreed on the dates and place.

Give each other details of where you are going and what you will be doing.  There may be emergencies when you need to get in touch.

Be sensitive to arrangements involving other people, especially new partners.

If after that you still can’t agree then arrange to go to family mediation where the mediator will help you look at the possible arrangements and plan the holidays in a way which will enable everyone to have a good time.

To find out more about Family Mediation Visit www.familymediator.org.uk or call us, Cheltenham Mediation Services, on 01242 220601