If you have a child who goes to daycare or school, you know that keeping track of what your child needs to take with him or her each day can be complicated. Running through that mental checklist and getting everything packed is a challenge. When you are sharing time with your child as part of a parenting plan, transferring your child and all of his important belongings is more complicated than packing up for school.
No matter what age your child is, making sure that the right items travel back and forth falls on your shoulders. Even if your child is an older teen, it serves you well to manage the process and ask the questions to ensure your child has packed everything necessary.
The items that need to travel between homes varies with age, but at every age there is an important list. All kids need clothes, medicine and items needed for school or daycare. Very young children have comfort items that they need and possibly formula or baby food. Toddlers, preschoolers, and young elementary kids have toys and books they want to take with them. Older kids need to bring technology including all necessary cords as well as things for sports or music practices and homework.
The best way to make sure your child brings everything is to keep a list either in your phone or on your refrigerator. Have one bag that is designated as the transfer bag and try to pack it before you need to leave or before your child is being picked up. If there are items that go in and out of the bag, consider whether you should have duplicates, so one can stay home and one can always travel.
The tricky part about transfers is thinking ahead. If your child will be gone for three days, you need to mentally scan those three days and evaluate everything your child is going to need for activities during those days.
When your child leaves the non-custodial parent’s home, one of the parents should check to make sure that everything that was brought is returning, particularly items that may be crucial like homework, musical instruments, phones, and computers.
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