When navigating the complexities of crafting a parenting plan during a separation or divorce, addressing extracurricular activities is a good idea. These activities may both be important to kids and good for their development. However, juggling them and paying for them can be tricky endeavors.
Including clear guidelines for extracurricular involvement in parenting plans can help to ensure that children can continue to benefit from these activities without unnecessary stress or conflict between their co-parents.
Setting expectations
It’s important to discuss each parent’s expectations and the child’s interests to make decisions that best support the child’s development and well-being. This dialogue should consider the time commitment, costs involved and logistical requirements of each activity to better ensure that the associated arrangement is manageable.
And while clear expectations are truly important, flexibility is often key in accommodating extracurricular schedules, which may vary seasonally or require unexpected adjustments. Co-parents should be willing to compromise (reasonably) and adjust their schedules, when possible and not unreasonable, to support their child’s participation. This might include trading days, adjusting exchange times or occasionally allowing the child to stay longer with the parent who is facilitating the activity at that time.
As most parents know all too well, extracurricular activities can inspire significant expenses, including registration fees, uniforms, equipment and travel costs. A parenting plan should clearly outline how these costs will be divided between the parents. This might involve a 50/50 split, a proportionate division based on income, or one parent taking responsibility for specific activities. Clarity in this area can prevent future disagreements.
Extracurricular activities are just some of the challenges that may inspire tension between co-parents. By thoughtfully approaching all areas of a child’s life that could lead to conflict, co-parents can craft a solid parent plan designed to facilitate their child’s best interests and prevent tension in the process.
