PORTLAND OREGON PARENTING TIME – BACK TO SCHOOL
Parenting plans in Oregon are often drafted in a manner that balances a summer parenting time plan with a school parenting time plan. Now that school is officially starting a new year, parents often face the task of figuring out how their schedules, in relation to the parenting time plan, will work for the next school year given the children’s extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, and other school events.
WHAT SCHOOL TO ATTEND
The parent with custody will likely choose what school the child will attend. Under Oregon child custody laws, this is one of the distinct enumerated rights normally granted to the custodial parent. However, a party is free to ask the court to modify custody based on a substantial change in circumstances and the best interest of the child.
WHAT EVENTS WILL THE STUDENT WILL PARTICIPATE IN DURING SCHOOL
Children often change their desire to participate in sports or different after school activities. One year, basketball may be the sport of interest. The next year, swimming may be of interest. Regardless of the child’s decision, this often requires both parents to help decide what the child should or should not be involved in. However, when there is a different opinion as to what the child will participate in, often the parenting plan will state who ultimately gets to make the decision. An important, but often overlooked, parenting time plan provision is one that states neither parent cannot inhibit or interfere with the other parents parenting time by scheduling school activities during it without their say. While this can be an issue between the parties, the parents may be able to mediate the differences without resorting to filing paperwork with the court to modifying the parenting time plan.
COMMUNICATION
One key to successfully parenting children during the change from summer parenting time to school parenting time involves communication between all parties. As the children grow older, their needs change and will often require spending more time with peers during school activities, field trips, and after school sports. On occasion, these activities may impact when a parent has parenting time or overlap with a parent’s parenting time. While not every parenting plan has specific provisions relating to parenting time and after school activities, often the parties have agreed ahead of time to discuss these items when they arise and to deviate from the parenting plan as needed. While this is not a formal modification of the parenting time plan, it often is a low-cost solution to the formal modification. If, however, parents are not able to agree to changes on a temporary basis but require a more formal modification of the parenting time plan, the next step involves filing a motion to modify the parenting time plan in court. A parenting time plan is always modifiable based on the best interest of the child. Because this is a formal matter before the court, parties often seek and retain a Portland family law child parenting time attorney to represent their interests.
COLLIN MCKEAN
Collin McKean is a well-respected family law and dissolution of marriage attorney in Oregon and Washington.
McKean Smith, LLC is a family law firm focused on helping both establish and modify parenting time plans in Oregon and Washington. If you have questions about a parenting time plan or custody, call the Portland Oregon Family Law Attorneys of McKean Smith, LLC at 503-567-7967 to set up a consultation.
McKean Smith, LLC represents parties in both Oregon and Washington. For more information about your case in Oregon or Washington, please call to arrange a consultation.