Change is not always easy. It may seem cliché, but it is true. Just like kids must go through an adjustment period when a new school year starts, so must parents; especially when they have recently gone through a separation or recently completed a divorce. To avoid these complications (or at least to mitigate them) it is critically important for parents to put aside their personal differences and work together for the benefit of the children.

This post will highlight several things that can help.

Settle on a schedule – As we said earlier, going to a new school and adjusting to new teachers may not be easy for kids. Because of this, they should not have to worry about who is going to take them to school, who will take them to their activities and whether their parents can stand to be around each other. Agreeing on a parenting schedule can help to alleviate this fear and help with the transition from summer life to school life.

Stay in contact – Both parents should be included on communications with the school; whether it be about progress reports, parent – teacher conferences, sport schedules and other special events. If a parent is not being included, the other parent should make sure that the school does in fact do so.

Have your own conferences – Speaking of teacher conferences, it is helpful for parents to stay on top of their children’s school performance during such a time. Therefore, scheduling your own conferences (even if separate from the other parent) with a teacher to address problems before they become insurmountable is helpful.