Child-Time Sharing: Helping Your Child Succeed In School

Children of all ages experience major impacts when parents get divorced or otherwise decide to no longer live together. Even when a child time sharing plan allows both to remain active in the child’s life, it can still be a major adjustment. One of the areas you are most likely to see your child struggle with is school. Having a plan to deal with this situation and understanding actions you can take through your parenting plan can help reduce impacts and make the adjustment process easier.

Children, Parenting Plans, and Acting Out at School

When parents no longer live together, a parenting plan can help ensure both remain active and involved in the child’s life. Under the Florida Statutes, there are numerous factors a judge will consider in approving a child time sharing plan. Depending on their age, the child may have a voice in these proceedings but the primary objective is ensuring their well being and safety. As a result, they may not always agree with the plan or may act out in general over the entire situation.

Unfortunately, this can have an impact on their attitudes toward school and their educational achievement. Common behaviors you may find your child engaging in:

Not having the same enthusiasm for school or academics as they did before the breakup;
Wanting to drop out of sports or other school related activities;
Feeling alienated from their friends and classmates;
Getting into fights with other students or with teachers;
Doing poorly in terms of grades and being distracted in the classroom.

These are serious concerns which can have an impact on your child’s future. However, there are actions you can take as a parent to help your child get through these issues, making this difficult time in their lives easier.

Supporting Your Child In School

Child time sharing arrangements will impact the amount of time your child spends in each parent’s home and the level of involvement each has in the child’s school and recreational activities. When possible, working out arrangements that allow both parents to remain active in the child’s life is ultimately in their best interests. Great Schools offer some tips on implementing these plans and actions you can take to help your child adjust:

Keep your child’s best interests your primary focus.
Refrain from letting hard feelings between you and your former partner interfere with your child and actions you need to take to support them.
Present a united front when it comes to attitudes to school and related activities.
Make a schedule to implement in each parent’s home concerning homework, meals, bedtimes, social activities, and other matters which can impact their physical and emotional health.
Realize that your child is going through an adjustment period. However, if problems persist, consider getting professional help.

Let Us Help You Today

Having an experienced Fort Lauderdale child custody and time sharing attorney guide you in creating parent plans can help avoid future problems. To request a consultation regarding how attorney Vanessa L. Prieto can assist you, reach out and contact our office today.

Resource:

greatschools.org/gk/articles/kids-divorce-and-school-success/

https://www.vanessaprietolaw.com/situations-where-parents-surrender-certain-rights/