If this upcoming school year will be the first one since your separation or divorce, you can expect that you and your co-parent are going to make some mistakes. A new school year is chaotic enough when parents live in the same home.
You can, however, help things go a little more smoothly – which will ultimately help your child – with some preparation and organization. If you don’t yet have a parenting plan finalized, the lessons you learn during this time can ultimately help you include things you may not have considered.
Use a co-parenting app
If you aren’t already using one, now is the time to start. This can help you keep track of back-to-school expenses, school and extracurricular schedules, drop-offs and pick-ups, homework assignments and more – all with a minimum of personal interaction.
Decide what your child needs two of
While you certainly can’t double up on everything, if your child is moving between homes (particularly during the week), it’s wise for both homes to have necessities like backpacks, lunch containers, sports gear and clothing basics like shoes, socks, underwear and school uniforms, if your child wears one. When fall and winter roll around, they’ll need coats, boots and other winter wear.
Some schools will let kids who transition between schools have two sets of books, so that’s worth checking into, but don’t count on it. Of course, they’ll need a computer (at least a laptop) in each home, if they need it for homework.
Be sure the right people are aware of the new family dynamic
You’ll want to inform the school administrators, key teachers, coaches and counselors of the changes in your family so that your child doesn’t have to notify or explain things to them. Be sure they have your current contact information, and ask them to send all parent information to both of you (assuming that you both have parenting responsibilities).
You may need to put one or more temporary orders in place (for example, regarding child support or custody) until you can finalize them. If you do, it’s important to get legal guidance on that as soon as possible.