Parents constantly need to make decisions about their children’s upbringing. They have to respond to academic and disciplinary concerns. They make choices about medical care and socialization. They also control where a child lives and when they travel.
When parents share custody, they may find themselves disagreeing about critical decisions regarding their children. If there is a disagreement about a teenager’s desire to take a spring break trip, can one parent unilaterally give them permission?
Shared decision-making is typical
Most parents who share custody share legal decision-making authority. They usually need to agree on major matters for their children. Ideally, both parents agree when a teenager asks about a spring break trip.
However, the details of the custody arrangement and the travel plans may influence whether or not one parent can choose to permit a spring break trip that the other does not think is appropriate or necessary. The first consideration is whether the parents share legal custody. If they do, then they may both have to agree to any international or out-of-state travel, depending on the details of the custody arrangement.
The second consideration is whether the trip might cut into the other parent’s time with the teen. Typically, each parent can make decisions during their own parenting time. They may need to consult with one another if their decisions could affect the other’s time with the children. When there are disputes about socialization or recreational travel, parents may need to clarify their custody orders or possibly enforce them.
Vacation plans can easily trigger conflict between adults who share parental rights and responsibilities. Reviewing the terms of a custody order with a skilled legal team, and possibly going back to family court, may be necessary when there is a dispute about major parenting decisions.
