Ohio Child Custody Arrangements
Considering Schools in an Ohio Child Custody Arrangement
Even if your children are not school-aged when you are going through a divorce or dissolution of your marriage, it is important to reach an agreement as to where your kids will attend school. Despite how often you might have discussed schools during your marriage, the split between you and your spouse can greatly change this decision. Depending on living arrangements, it is not unlikely you will live in different school districts and will have strong feelings about one district, based on your schedule and proximity to work and home.
Alternatively, if after you finalize your custody agreement in your divorce, you or your spouse wants to move or change your children’s schools, you may need to involve your former spouse in the decision. In some custody agreements in Ohio, one parent cannot make school decisions alone but must consult with the other parent.
If you and your spouse, or former spouse, are having a difficult time coming to an agreement on schools, consider the following tips:
- Try to work together. Divorce and dissolution are almost always painful for the parties involved, and this means spouses leave the marriage angry and unwilling to meet each other in the middle on anything. There is never a better time to try to put that aside than when you are making decisions for your kids. The decision-making will go much smoother, and your kids will be happier, if you try to find common ground with your spouse and choose a school everyone feels good about.
- Talk with your kids. It is easy to forget, but sometimes the best way to determine what is best for your children is to simply ask them. Perhaps they want to stay at their current schools, or perhaps they liked one school best when you visited a few. If you involve your children in the school-selection process, you will have a much greater chance of finding the school they will be most happy attending.
- Talk with parents in the school districts. One way to get a feel for a certain school is to talk with parents whose children attend that school. Try arranging a school visit to see a regular class day (consider bringing your child along), and ask other parents what they like or don’t like about the school.
- Keep the court in mind. If you are deadlocked with your spouse on the issue of schools, remember you have the court as a resource. You can go back in front of the judge and come to a decision using the court’s oversight.
If you need assistance making decisions for your children, consistent with your Ohio custody agreement, or are considering a modification to your custody agreement, it is important that you consult with an attorney who has experience in divorce and child custody law. Schedule a consultation with experienced Columbus Attorney Shannon Dawes at Dawes Legal, LLC, today by calling (614) 733-9999.
Dawes Legal, LLC
169 E Livingston Ave
Columbus, OH 43215
Telephone (614) 733-9999