How Does Summer Parent-time Work?

How does summertime work? This is one of the questions people ask most often. Thankfully, the answer is pretty straightforward.

Most Normal Summer Parent-Time Schedule

The most normal summer parent-time schedule keeps the same schedule you usually follow, and then allows each parent a two-week uninterrupted period for vacation.

So, if you share a 50/50 schedule, you would keep that schedule. However, each parent would have the opportunity to have two weeks for family vacations.

(Note: you usually designate vacation times about thirty days before school ends. That way everyone can plan their summer accordingly.)

Little Less Normal Summer Parent-Time Schedule

If one parent has minimum parent-time (i.e., every other weekend and one evening a week), then summer is slightly different than what I laid out above.

For the most part, you keep the same every-other-weekend schedule, but the non-custodial parent (the one with the least amount of time) has (1) a two-week uninterrupted period for vacation, and (2) an additional two-week period in which the custodial parent only has parent-time one evening per week.

(2) is a bit tricky, so let me flesh it out a little. During this period, the noncustodial parent would have parent-time. The custodial parent would be able to see the child twice during this period (one evening per week, usually from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.), but no more. No weekend visits for the custodial parent, just the weekly evening visits.

Week-on-Week-off Summer Parent-Time Schedule

A schedule that’s becoming more popular is the week-on-week-off summer schedule.

The premise is no matter what parent-time schedule you have during the school year, you switch to a week-on-week-off schedule during summer.

This works because, schedules are pretty important during school to ensure things are done, but summer just isn’t that way. And, let’s face it, kids usually don’t notice where they are during the summer anyway.

You can include a two-week vacation period in this schedule if you want, but many times parents don’t because a week is long enough for their family vacations.

In the End, it All Depends

In the end, you can be as flexible or as rigid as you want with summer. It depends on you and your kids.