Even though the temperatures are still blazing in the desert, days are long and the nights are sultry, for most Arizona kids, summer (meaning the summer break from school) is almost at an end.
As we approach the 2010 – 2011 school year, you should be asking yourself a few key questions:
- Are the kids doing well on the current parenting schedule and, if they aren’t, what changes could we make now that would help them in the new school year?
- Is this the right school for our children right now? Should we consider a change to private / public / charter / Montessori / non-traditional / parochial?
- Do we need to address certain issues with each child individually? For example, if one child has learning challenges, another is having behavioral issues, and your eldest is entering the hormone zone, how do you parent each one to his and her best potential?
- Do we have our school year holiday schedule all worked out? Who gets Thanksgiving and Christmas this year? Are there any vacations on the horizon that your co-parent should be notified of?
- When are the upcoming teacher conferences and are both parents attending?
- If you like to be involved with your children’s school activities, have you worked out a schedule with your co-parent about who is bringing treats or attending field trips throughout the year?
- If your child’s schedule is changing, have you arranged for before or after school care? Who will transport the kids to extracurricular activities like sports and music lessons?
These are the questions that most parents are rolling around in their minds yet often don’t get around to addressing until a “crisis” comes up. Rather than being a reactive parent, try being proactive co-parents, strategizing ways to help your kids succeed despite the problems that a divorce may have caused for them.
If you need referrals for child psychologists or therapists, we are happy to provide you with names of people that we have worked with and know to be keen professionals. If your parenting plan needs a tuneup, read more here and give us a call.
Choose Peace ~ it’s kid-friendly!