Happy Kids

Co-parenting over School Holidays

 

Take time to Plan ahead:

 

Co-parenting during School holiday arrangements for the children can be hard .
School Holidays can be hard even in a non separated household.
Both parents may need to work and both parents may want to have time off with the children.
It is just as hard for the children, sometimes.
It’s a mistake to talk about “the children” as though they were a single unit rather than kids of different ages and personalities.
So to co-parent through the holidays, we have to find a way to satisfy the individual needs of the people involved.
It’s best if the discussions about holidays takes place in plenty of time before the holidays so that the holiday time arrangements can be worked out to everyone’s satisfaction.

 

Various Options for Holiday Time Co-parenting:

 

Parents can use a combination of vacation care, accrued annual leave and grandparents to get through the holiday break.
In Janet Baxter’s study of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, she noted that some kids have been staying home by themselves while their parents worked.
The statistics show that more and more families are using School holiday programs or ” vacation care”.
Whatever plan you make for your family, it is always best to do it with civility and avoid involving the children in any conflict.

Its extra stress for everyone if the arrangements are vague or uncertain. Once everyone knows what co-parenting arrangements are going to be in place, then the children and the parents can relax and enjoy their holidays.

 

What to do if you can’t agree:

 

If you and your ex partner can’t agree well in advance of the holidays, think about going to mediation. There you should  to try to resolve the issues with the help of a mediator or counsellor who is registered as a Family Dispute Resolution Provider (FDRP). If you want to find an FDRP, then click HERE  .

If that fails, then you can ask for a S 60(1) certificate from the Family Dispute Resolution Provider. You may have to go to Court to get arrangements for school holidays.  You will need to file a section 60(i) certificate with your application. Sometimes, if you see a Family Lawyer then the lawyer may first write a letter to the other parent to see if there is a possibility of agreement. We almost always try to resolve  matters this way. If there is urgency or the other parent has absolutely refused to engage in sensible co-parenting discussions, you may need to go to Court.

 

The Journey Brisbane Family Lawyers difference :

 

  1. 1. We offer fixed fees for a letter to your ex partner. We also can do fixed fees  for bringing an application up to the end of  its first day in Court.
  2. 2. Our clients have been able to get affordable representation by using our unique step in-step out process.  The clients then manage the case on their own in  between Court events, only calling on their lawyer for help when they need it.
  3. 3. We also travel to Rockhampton for the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court and do not charge for travel and accommodation in Rockhampton.

 

Just call and ask for a fixed fee quote, or email us or call for an appointment on (07) 38325999 ( for North Lakes, Strathpine and Brisbane City Offices.

We acknowledge using some information from the 2013 paper by  Janet Baxter of the Australian Institute of Family Studies.  familylawyer - Successful Co-ParentingYou can read it HERE .

Talk to a Family Law Lawyer for free. Call (07) 3832 5999

Did you know that you can phone 38325999  to have a free 15 minute or so chat with one of our lawyers at any time during business hours?

Usually we have a solicitor who can take your call right away, or if not, can all you back within the hour.  Or you can email us on enquiries@journeyfamilylawyers.com.au for a free email response. This helps many people each week and we are happy to do this and give you the information that gives you some clarity about your legal position. Sometimes this is all people need in the early stages of their separation or divorce journey.

If you are ready for more detail, though,  you can also  have an hour long, confidential , no obligation consultation on property settlement and divorce, children’s custody issues, or any other Family Law matter with a Journey Family Lawyer for $275.00 GST inclusive. If you cannot get to one of our offices, in Strathpine, Brisbane City and North Lakes then why not have a phone conference for an hour. We do it a lot, and we even have clients from interstate and overseas that we never see. These days with email it is much easier to have long distance representation.  We have helped many people this way.

You will generally leave one of these conferences with a clear idea of where you stand, and also a plan for the future.  People often say they wish they had come to us sooner, as these things had been keeping them awake at night. To make an appointment or to phone to talk to a lawyer, call

07 38325999 (Brisbane)

07 32059000 (Strathpine)

07  34482199 (North Lakes)

Kind regards,

Lynette