Child Custody & Summer Visitation

With summer here and kids out of school it’s time to think about your child’s visitation schedule as dictated by your divorce decree.  The necessity of keeping the child happy and creating a good experience is paramount when determining summer visitation times. 

Generally speaking, the courts will award one parent primary physical custody. In some instances, the court awards joint physical custody depending on the age of the child, where both parties reside, the school the child attends and other factors.

Regarding legal custody, the court's preference is to award joint legal custody so that both parents will be involved in making decisions regarding education and healthcare.  In cases where the parties agree on the custody of the children, the court will generally comply with the wishes of the parties involved.

For children whose parents are separated by great distance or who spend the majority of their time with only one parent, the summer holiday usually ushers in a change.  The child may visit the other parent for the summer.  This change is extremely important to the child’s emotional and mental well-being.

Here are some suggestions from Christine Cadena from Associated Content.   Keep these ideas in mind in order to ensure a smooth transition and happy child.

• Help the child transition to visiting with the non-custodial parent.  Do not express negative feelings or comments about the other parent to the child.  Doing so will only serve to alienate the child and may cause adverse reactions. 
• The non-custodial parent needs to prepare well in advance for their child’s visit.  Ideally vacation days should ensure that quality time is spent with the child.
• Make sure to schedule appropriate summer time activities and supervision for the child if the parent is at work.
• The non-custodial parent should also be actively involved with their child’s life throughout the year.  This can be accomplished through frequent telephone calls, emails and photo exchanges.  This will help the child feel more comfortable and connect more easily even though separated by long distance or lengthy time periods.

Both parents should communicate and cooperate frequently to make sure that reasonable visitation time is met and the child feels comfortable. 

If you need help determining child visitation and custody, contact Legal Action Workshop's Child Custody Attorneys today.

Legal Action Workshop's Attorneys specialize in Child Custody and Visitation in Los Angeles, Ca.