Yesterday my girls were supposed to be with their dad, but he offered to let them come out of town for the day with me to see my dying grandfather.
He wants them today instead, specifically overnight (which my 4yo does NOT want to do).
Question: When you have to switch it up like we did yesterday, do you typically go back to your normal schedule the rest of the week? Or does the parent who missed out have to get a makeup day with the kids?
(No, our divorce isn't final, so these things are just now being discussed.)
Re: Getting time that's "owed" to you
When I was young my dad often swapped his Wednesday night dinner for another night. LO's father has had to work late occasionally on his nights so i've swapped with him. I think it can go either way depending upon how it is written. If he didn't show up, then he might have to forfeit his time but he let you take the children for a certain reason. Usually its all in the same conversation and it probably depends upon your relationship too.
"hey, i can't make it tonight i'm stuck at work can you go get her?"
"okay do you want to pick LO up tomorrow?"
"i'll pick her up tom" or "i can't at all this week, can i do two days next week or get time this weekend"
"sure, LO misses you"
Yeah, I had no problem letting him have them yesterday. And after some tears on her part, it worked just fine.
I was just curious what is typical, because I want to always allow flexibility, but I also want to adhere as strictly as possible to the schedule because my 4yo gets really out of sorts when we don't (of course, this is all still new to her).
What schedule did you finally decide on?
They spent that night there and ended up being fine. Then he said he has to work tonight (he normally has them Wednesdays), so I offered to let them go with him Friday to make up for it, but he declined cause he'll be out of town.
I'm totally cool with being flexible ONLY if it doesn't happen too often, because changing the schedule too much is really confusing to my oldest girl.