With the new school year having already begun in many communities throughout North Carolina, recently divorced parents may struggle with establishing and maintaining a working routine with their children. Divorce upends a family’s life and creates circumstances that may be less than ideal; however, divorced parents can do a few things to make the process as easy as possible for the kids and everyone else when the children go back to school.
Suggestions for back-to-school responsibilities
- Talk to their teachers – If the divorce happened over the summer, parents should inform their children’s teachers of the divorce. Dealing with the process can cause emotional and behavioral problems in children that may manifest in the classroom. A teacher needs to understand the possible cause of a child’s demeanor or behavior.
- Discuss back-to-school expenses – Getting kids ready for a new school year is expensive, and parents should discuss how they will handle the costs.
- Reassure the children – The children may worry that both parents will no longer attend sporting events, concerts, plays or other school-related activities. Parents should assure their children that both parents will remain involved in their lives and will be there for them.
- Establish routines in both homes – Since the children will likely split their time between Mom and Dad, parents should work together to establish a clear routine for handling drop-offs and pick-ups, extracurricular activities and homework. Children need structure in their lives, especially after divorce, and having a stable routine will help.
These are but a few suggestions divorced parents in North Carolina can use to help support their children and alleviate the stress of going back to school. Regardless of the issue, parents should work together for the sake of their children. If a parent runs into issues such as the other parent violating a child custody or support agreement or any other issue they cannot resolve on their own, the aggrieved parent may reach out to an experienced family law attorney for assistance.