A New School Year, a New Co-Parenting Routine

Published in the Orlando Sentinel and the Daily Business Review  (subscriber-based)

Family Law Attorney Rebecca L. Palmer shares practical co-parenting guidance for divorced and separated parents preparing for a new school year. Her guidance helps families reduce preventable conflict around education, schedules, activities, and school communication while keeping the child’s needs at the center.

“As the school year begins, divorced and separated parents should review expectations to prevent avoidable conflicts,” Palmer explains. “Those day-to-day decisions often create the greatest strain because they require constant communication long after a divorce is finalized.”

Palmer encourages parents to establish transportation procedures before or at the beginning of the school year, use shared calendars, and address recurring activities and unexpected disruptions in advance. She recommends planning extracurricular commitments by semester, season, or school year so both households can coordinate schedules, responsibilities, and expenses before registration deadlines.

“Each parent should be separately registered with the school’s electronic systems whenever possible,” writes Palmer. “Individual accounts lessen dependence on one parent to forward emails or share announcements and help avoid allegations that educational information is being withheld.”