Parents in Fort Worth who are divorced naturally want to protect their legal parenting time with their children. It is important to note, however, that their parenting time may change in the summer when school is out. It is especially important that parents who are estranged from one another follow their summertime child custody and visitation orders, especially if they plan to take a trip with their child during the summer. The following are some tips on what to do if you want to take your child on a vacation this summer post-divorce.
First, it is important to review your current parenting plan. There may be details in the parenting plan regarding when you can take a vacation with your child, where and for how long. There also may be notification requirements in which you must share your plans with the child’s other parent before proceeding.
Second, it is important to discuss your vacation arrangements with the child’s other parent. The child’s other parent needs to know where the child will be and when. They need contact information for the places being visited, as well as the names of the people the child will be travelling with. And, if the vacation will interfere with their allotted parenting time, they need to ensure that there is a parenting time swap that accommodates the vacation while still protecting the other parent’s time with the child.
If a parent plans on travelling abroad with their child it may be necessary in some situations for that parent to obtain a Ne Exeat Bond before going on vacation. This is a type of surety bond that is used to ensure that the parent going abroad with the child will comply with the established child custody order while in another country with the child. This may be especially useful if a parent fears their ex might try to abscond with the child under the guise of “going on vacation.”
Ultimately, even estranged parents need to communicate and cooperate when it comes to taking a summer trip with their child. Established child custody and visitation orders need to be followed, each parent needs to know where the child is and when, and accommodations may need to be made so that each parent gets their allotted share of parenting time. If you have questions about how to handle taking a vacation with your child post-divorce or if you have concerns about the child’s other parent doing so, seeking counsel from an attorney in the Fort Worth area may be necessary.
