There’s a reason why your kids are antsy this week. They are so excited about being out of school for the summer. To them, it is a chance to essentially goof off all day without the care of being in school. To you, it may be frustrating because you may not be sure about their activities (i.e. sports camps or daycare activities) because the other parent may not be on board.
Unfortunately, disagreements about paying fees for these activities are fairly common. One parent (who is paying child support or spousal maintenance) may not feel obligated to pay for such fees; especially when the custodial parent has already promised some type of summer activity. This undoubtedly puts the “paying” parent in an awkward position.
Additionally, a parent may schedule activities for the child that occur during the other parent’s parenting time. Again, the child may be promised that he or she would be allowed to participate in the activity only for the other parent to decline because they were not previously consulted, or because they want to do something different during “their” parenting time.
If either of these situations describes what you are experiencing, an experienced family law attorney can explain your rights and options so that you can make an informed decision about whether court intervention is necessary.
Keep in mind that if a parent denies you parenting time because he or she is trying to force you pay for a particular activity, or the child to participate in one, the court may intervene. After all, the issue is what is in the best interests of the child, not what a parent believes is right.
The preceding is not legal advice.