The holidays are a time for family, and many parents in Savannah, Georgia, will hit the road and skies with their child at this time of year to spend the holidays with their loved ones. Still, your travel plans can be made more complicated if you are no longer in a relationship with your child’s other parent.
Check your parenting plan
If you want to travel with your child this holiday season and you are divorced or are not in a relationship with your child’s other parent, you will want to check your parenting plan to see what it says on the topic. It may include provisions stating your child’s other parent must approve the travel. It may also limit how far you can travel or how long you can travel with your child.
Alternatively, your parenting plan may contain provisions stating who has the child on certain holidays. If it is your turn to have your child this holiday season, you may be able to travel with them unless your parenting plan says otherwise.
Finally, you and your child’s other parent can work out arrangements between yourselves. This could be helpful if your travel plans interfere with your child’s other parent’s parenting time.
Options if you cannot agree on travel plans
If you want to seek permission to take a trip with your child against your child’s other parent’s wishes or if your travel plans would otherwise violate your parenting plan, you may need to go to court to get approval to travel. The court can issue a ruling either permitting or denying the travel.
Still, litigation is not your only option when there is a child custody dispute. You and your child’s other parent can try mediating the issue.
In mediation, you will work with a neutral third-party mediator. They will help you and your child’s other parent discuss why you do or do not want your child to travel this holiday season. Then they will help you and your child’s other parent reach a compromise on travel with which you are both satisfied.
The holiday season is a popular travel time. But traveling after a divorce or when you are no longer in a relationship with your child’s other parent can be complicated. Take your time to review your parenting plan ahead of time, so you can work out any disagreements.