Will winter ever end!? This time of year, it always feels like winter will last forever. The cold weather and continuously dark days can make us forget that Spring is just around the corner! That also means that many children will soon be off of school for a week for Spring break. 

Any break in the normal school routine can impact parenting schedules for divorced parents. So if you are contemplating divorce, in the process of divorce, or are already divorced, you may be wondering what your options are when it comes to parenting time during your children’s breaks from school. Some options and items to consider are discussed below.

If Both Parents Share Parenting Time

In instances where both parents are involved with the children and have some variation of reasonable parenting time, many parents choose to alternate or divide the children’s breaks from school. For instance, Parent A may have the children for the first half of their Spring break and Parent B may have the children for the second half of their Spring break. The following year, this may alternate such that Parent B has the first half of the Spring break and Parent A has the second half of the Spring break.  

Another common schedule is that Parent A has the entirety of the children’s Spring break in even years, with Parent B having the entirety of the Spring break in odd years such that each year one parent receives the entire break.

If One Parent Does Not See Their Children Regularly

It can become more complicated in circumstances where the parents do not live in close proximity to one another. In this situation, it may make it difficult or even impossible for the children to see one parent regularly. In these cases, sometimes the parent who does not have the opportunity to see the children regularly throughout the course of the year may receive more of the children’s breaks from school or even all of the children’s breaks from school.  

By way of example, if Parent A lives in Illinois and Parent B lives in California, Parent A may have the children at all times throughout the school year except that Parent B has the children for their Spring break, Summer break, and/or Winter break.

There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Solution

What works for another family may not work for your family. There are many options for parenting time during breaks from school, and it’s important to understand all of your options. We encourage you to speak to your Family Law Attorney to formulate a unique schedule that works for you and your family. 

Here at Greenberg & Sinkovits, we have a fierce and dedicated team of Family Law Attorneys ready to help you navigate school break schedules. We welcome you to contact us at 312.905.3013 to schedule a free consultation.