Most divorced parents do not take joint vacations. If they each want to go on a summer trip with the kids while the kids are out of school, they usually make two separate trips.
However, some couples do actually travel together so that they can consolidate their vacations. This takes less time, spreads the expenses out more and gives the children more time to spend with both parents. But is this a good idea?
Every situation is unique, but be wary
This does work for some parents. Every situation is unique and you’ll have to make this decision for yourself. But be wary that it can go poorly, and that’s a problem. For instance, maybe your spouse wants the marriage to resume again and sees this as an opening. Maybe your children will see the joint trip as a signal that you and your ex-spouse are getting back together. Is a joint vacation going to give them false hope?
Plus, a joint vacation can just bring up old tensions again and renew old fights. Perhaps you and your spouse have been effective co-parents specifically because you don’t have to see each other that often. A vacation may actually cause that relationship to regress, ruining the trip for everyone.
The trip also brings up a lot of questions. How do you split the bills? How many rooms do you need? Who gets to make decisions about the schedule? It’s not that you can’t figure this out, but it may be more difficult than you hoped.
Child custody is complex
As you can see, sharing custody of your children can be more complex than many people assume, and you may find yourself asking questions you never considered before. Make sure you know what legal rights you have and how to create a parenting plan that works. The guidance of an experienced family law attorney can be invaluable.
