For kids, summer break can be a welcome relief from the daily demands of school and extracurricular activities. For divorced parents, the end of the school year often involves adjusting to a new co-parenting routine. Although there may be challenges, sharing child custody in California during summer doesn’t have to be stressful for you or your kids.

Check Your Child Custody and Visitation Orders

When you created your custody and visitation orders, you and your ex most likely included terms that set out how you would share legal and physical custody in the summers. Before your summer schedule begins, reviewing these orders and familiarizing yourself with the expected terms may be helpful. That way, you can start preparing before the changes take place.

Ideally, you and your California child custody attorney will have taken the time to develop custodial provisions that are suited to your family’s needs. If that is not the case, or your circumstances have changed, you may need to schedule an appointment with your California child custody lawyer to review these issues and determine if you need to modify your orders.

Check-In and Communicate with Each Other

You and your ex checking in with each other on your respective summer plan may help you minimize conflict. It may be that one or both of you would like to travel with your children. As parents, it’s important to communicate with one another regarding where your children will spend time. Keeping each other in the loop may help alleviate concerns and support your co-parenting dynamic.

Be Flexible When Possible

When California child custody and visitation orders are created, the terms are typically based on the parties’ needs and circumstances at the time. However, unlike these orders, families and their requirements tend to change. It may be that when your orders were created, your family did not anticipate traveling out of state in the summer. Fast forward a few years, and one of your children may have extensive summer team commitments both in and out of state. Likewise, a parent may want to travel with the kids during a time when the other has physical custody. Depending on the circumstances, you and your ex may need to revisit the agreement and make adjustments. When parents can be together and be flexible when reasonable, it helps support the co-parenting dynamic and minimize stress for the children.

Remember, It’s Not a Contest

Sometimes parents get caught up trying to outdo one another to entertain the kids during the summer. It’s important to remember that you and your ex are not in competition. Your kids want to spend time with each of you, whatever that looks like. It may help to recognize that the time your spend together is about connecting as a family and not doing more than their other parent.

Maintain Boundaries and Spend Quality Time Together

Summer can be a more casual and relaxed time for families. There can also be more opportunities to talk to and around your kids. Just as during the school year, it’s important to maintain boundaries and not disparage the other parent in the presence of the children. You also want to work with and not against the other parent when it comes to establishing and keeping certain ground rules in place. For example, you and your ex may want to discuss bedtimes, electronics, and suitable entertainment and see if you can get on the same page. Otherwise, you or your ex may run into situations where the kids operate under vastly different rules in each parental home. Everything doesn’t have to be the same, but it may help you, your ex, and your kids if you can keep things consistent.

Contact a California Child Custody Attorney

Sometimes, it’s best for everyone if parents formally modify their child custody orders. If you believe that your orders need to be changed or updated, you should consult with an experienced California child custody attorney. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Judy L. Burger are experienced child custody attorneys who can help. Call us at 415-293-8314 to schedule a private appointment or visit our website. We assist clients along California’s Northern to Southern Coast, including San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Marin, San Jose, Gold River, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura/Oxnard, and surrounding communities.

When parents divorce or separate, court orders will establish when and how they will spend time with their minor children. These California child custody orders are created according to what is in the best interest of the children involved. However, there can be circumstances when one or both parties may fail to abide by a California child custody order. In that circumstance, it may be necessary for the other parent to file an action seeking enforcement of the court’s custody order. Here is more on enforcing a California child custody order:

California Child Custody Orders

There are two types of child custody in California—legal and physical. Legal custody refers to a parent’s right to make decisions regarding their child’s upbringing, health, education  and welfare. Physical custody concerns a parent’s right to have their children with them and in their care. When parents divorce, they will have a custody order that sets out their respective decision-making authority and the specific times and days they can have their kids with them.

Child Custody Enforcement

After child custody orders are put in place, parents are expected to observe and obey the terms. These legal and physical custody orders may have been developed through the parents’ negotiations or a judge’s decision. When a parent regularly fails to follow a California child custody order, the other parent may have grounds to file an enforcement action. When a parent files this type of case, they are asking that the court hold the violating party in contempt of court and enforce the child custody order.

What Constitutes a Child Custody Violation?

Ideally, a child custody order will be carefully and specifically drafted according to the parties’ unique circumstances. When the parents work with their attorneys to create this type of order, they can usually anticipate and plan for their family’s needs. In addition, working with counsel can help ensure that the orders include functional and realistic terms. When child custody terms are clearly and specifically defined, it can make it easier for both parties to understand what is expected and avoid misunderstandings and conflict.

When developing a California child custody order, parents should consider issues such as:

• The distance between their homes
• How they intend to divide time during the school year
• How summer and holiday time will be divided
• Any extracurricular activities the children may be involved in now and in the future
• How transportation details and associated expenses will be managed
• Times when parents may need to deviate from the schedule

Not Every Violation Will Warrant Going to Court

It’s important to remember that not every variation from a California child custody order will warrant filing for enforcement. For instance, a parent may be late dropping their child off with the other parent because of an unforeseen traffic delay. There may also be times when a parent’s work schedule requires a temporary change. When parents can communicate and work together when these situations arise, they may not have to resort to legal taking legal action.

What to do When a Parent Repeatedly Fails to Abide by the Order

If a parent consistently and willfully violates the child custody order, the other parent may need to pursue enforcement. Before taking the matter to court, the parent should consult with an experienced child custody attorney to review the infractions. However, if the other parent refuses to return the children to the other parent, it may be necessary to act immediately. In either circumstance, the parent will need to advocacy and assistance of experienced counsel.

Contact an Experienced California Child Custody Attorney

Child custody enforcement may or may not be necessary, depending on your situation. The best way to determine your enforcement options is by consulting with an experienced child custody attorney. Your lawyer can review the violations and help you identify your options.

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Judy L. Burger are experienced California child custody attorneys who can help you with your child custody issues. Our firm assists clients along California’s Northern to Southern Coast, including San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Marin, San Jose, Gold River, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura/Oxnard, and surrounding communities. Call us at 415-293-8314 to schedule a private appointment or visit our website.

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