For those of us single parents who also have another parent in the picture, coordination and sharing can be the “names of the game”—we are called upon to coordinate all sorts of things between two households (or more) and find a way to make sure our kids are able to stay in contact with various relatives, and spend leisure time with both parents and both families. Since summer time can mean vacation time, this means coordinating vacations and that can take some effort…
The upside of the two households is that kids can get double the vacations. This is how my optimistic eldest daughter has always chosen to look at things. While I’m struggling away trying to figure out who is going where and making sure that everyone gets to see who they need and want to see during the summer months, my kids are generally enjoying getting to go on vacation with both mom and dad—as well as grandparents and step-grandparents. My being able to figure out how to share and coordinate has been a boon for them in the summer leisure and vacation department.
The earlier you can get everyone’s vacation plans, the better. Of course, this isn’t always possible and if your world is anything like mine, you just may get that call from the other parent saying “Oh, didn’t I tell you? We’re planning to go for a week at the beach the week after next.” But the more you can know in advance—that goes for summer camps, sleepovers, visits from out-of-town relatives, the works. It’s easy to overlook those visits from the “other families” since they are no longer part of your world. But, they are part of your child’s. He may really want and need to see Aunt Suzie when she visits in July. Take a deep breath and try to focus on what is best for the child. It can be a pain to have to make accommodations and arrangements for a summer-full of vacations and visits, but in the long run your child will thank you for your flexibility, understanding, and organizational efforts!
Also: Single Parent Vacations–Vacationing at Home