The first day of school is often stressful for parents. While trying to keep the morning positive for the children, parents must deal with preparing lunches, making sure everyone is ready while also getting to their own daily appointments. If a Nebraska parent has spent the summer going through a divorce, there may be additional strain in the home on the first day of school, especially if child custody issues are still unresolved.
Family advocates recommend that parents try to focus exclusively on the children during the first days of a new school year. If tensions are high between the parents, children may carry that stress with them into the school day, making it difficult for them to concentrate and do well. One step a parent can take to make the day as cheerful as possible may be inviting the other parent to be part of the morning. If this is not possible, taking a picture to send to the other parent may demonstrate a positive co-parenting gesture.
While the summer may have been overwhelming with divorce issues, counselors recommend that divorcing parents make sure they have informed the appropriate people of the situation so the children can find help if they need it. For example, notifying the child’s teacher, guidance counselor and principal will allow those adults to intervene and assist when necessary. On a practical note, notifying the Nebraska school transportation department of any schedule changes is important.
For parents heading into their first post-divorce school year, they can expect moments of frustration as they adjust to varying schedules and child custody issues. They may find that some things go smoothly and others do not work at all. While most situations may be resolved with a reasonable discussion between parents, others may require the assistance of an attorney to ensure the best interests of the child are protected.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Back-To-School Tips For Divorcing Parents”, Carla Schiff Donnelly, Aug. 8, 2017
