There is a lot to consider for anyone going through a divorce, but even more so if you have school-age children. The changes in your life are going to have a knock-on effect on their lives, too.
Here are some things to consider above and beyond the obvious decisions such as where the child will live, how much child support one parent will pass to the other and which school the child will attend.
What extracurricular activities can they do?
Some schools offer extracurricular activities while other children attend these out of school. In most cases, both require two things from parents – time and money. The time to pick up or drop off their children and the money to pay for the kit and any associated fees.
Some activities are less time and money-intensive than others but they all require something from you. You need to think about how you will split the costs as well as the logistics. It might even be the case that some activities your child participated in, or would like to participate in, are no longer feasible due to budget constraints, new work schedules or the location of where you will now live.
Who will look after the children when they have days off school?
Children can get sick from time to time and need a day off school. Other times, they will have the odd day off when parents would usually be working. Then there are the vacations, where most parents are unable to take as much time off work as their children get off school.
Thinking about all these things now gives you a chance to include lines about them in your parenting plan.
