Summer brings longer days, looser routines, and the promise of family memories, but for co-parents navigating custody schedules, it can also bring conflict, confusion, and last-minute stress. Whether you are planning a vacation, scheduling summer camp, or simply shifting into a different time-sharing routine, it is essential to get ahead of potential issues before school is out.
Jon Porter has seen the pattern too many times to count. One parent books a trip that the other parent does not know about. Camp schedules clash with custody exchanges. Teenagers want more independence, but the parenting plan has not caught up with their growing needs. These moments are stressful not just for the parents, but for the kids stuck in the middle of uncertainty.
That is why it is critical to know what your Utah parenting plan actually says, and what it does not say. Many custody agreements include a summer-specific schedule, but the language may be vague or outdated. For example, it might allow one parent to take two non-consecutive weeks of vacation, but without clear rules for notice, approval, or coordination with the other parent. That kind of ambiguity creates the perfect environment for conflict.
If your plan does not address summer at all, or if it no longer reflects your family’s current dynamics, now is the time to revise it, not mid-June when emotions are already running high. Jon regularly helps parents update their agreements to reflect new realities, for example, whether there is a job change, a relocation, a child’s age-related preferences, or evolving co-parenting dynamics.
Summer is also when long-distance co-parenting can get tricky. If your child spends most of the year with one parent but visits the other over the summer, travel arrangements, expense sharing, and communication expectations all need to be crystal clear. The more you plan ahead, the smoother those transitions can be.
Even if you have a solid agreement in place, communication is everything. Let the other parent know your plans early, document your requests in writing, and make sure everyone is on the same page. If things are tense, consider using a co-parenting app or even working with a mediator to create a shared summer schedule that minimizes confusion and conflict.
Summertime should be about creating great memories for your kids, not battling over logistics. Whether you need to clarify your current agreement or create a new structure that works better for everyone involved, Jon Porter can help. Because in the heat of summer, clear planning is your best defense against custody chaos.