Shared custody arrangements can easily lead to disputes between parents. They may struggle to share parenting time or to agree on key decisions about their children. Simply dividing overnight access to and responsibility for the children is inadequate.
If parents want to work cooperatively in a peaceful fashion, they need to address a variety of different parenting issues. Quite a few children participate in extracurricular activities, especially as they mature. They may join hobby clubs or athletic teams. They may help put on local plays or participate in model UN.
All of those exciting activities provide opportunities for parents to be engaged and involved with their children. It is usually important to address extracurricular activities when establishing a parenting plan to limit conflict between co-parents.
Costs and scheduling changes
The most immediate issues that extracurricular activities create are pressure on a family’s budget and household schedules. In many cases, parents have to work out a way in which they can share the cost of equipment and uniforms. Some sports are significantly more expensive than others.
Parents may also have to discuss how to modify the current division of parenting time to accommodate regular practices. Having a basic plan in place for addressing scheduling and expenses before the children join any extracurricular activities can reduce the likelihood of the parents fighting intensely when they finally do.
Parental involvement
There are many ways for parents to play a role in a child’s extracurricular activities. They might sign up as a coach or even a referee for the local league. They might plan to attend practices and games as much as they can based on their work schedule.
Parents may need to have some boundaries in place. They may also need to explore whether they could both be present at big games or if doing so might lead to an argument that disrupts the event for everyone present. Parents may need to have a plan to divide time at special events like games or may need to implement some basic rules so that they can both be present on important days for their children.
Having a plan for obvious sources of co-parenting conflict can make it easier for adults to share custody. Parents who address sources of conflict before it arises can take pressure off of their children and find more amicable ways to co-parent.