Sharing custody in Texas often means that you work your parenting time around your child’s school schedule. Generally, both parents can work during the day while the kids are at school, and only have to worry about daytime childcare arrangements over extended school breaks or when there is an three-day weekend. You will split those obligations with your ex depending on how you divide parenting time.
However, unusual circumstances do sometimes arise. What happens if your child falls sick at school and needs to come home for the day?
Who has to leave work to pick up the child from school?
Helping your child feel better soon should always be the priority if they’re sick. If the school calls you, communicating with your ex is important.
The custody order determines who has responsibility during the school day. Your existing parenting plan or custody order likely addresses custody exchanges. If you have the kids on the weekend and they have them during the week, then they will be the one responsible for picking them up.
If you exchange custody during the week, then the parent with responsibilities that particular day is the one who has to pick the child up from school. Sometimes, however, the parent with responsibility for the child will not be in a position to leave work. Being flexible and compromising when necessary is key to making shared custody work in unusual situations.
Keeping the priority on your child’s well-being when they get sick is a much better approach than using this unfortunate experience as an excuse to fight with your ex. Addressing these kinds of issues ahead of time in your custody agreement prevents a little issue, like the stomach flu, from derailing your co-parenting relationship.