Physical custody may decide where your child sleeps, but legal custody decides how they live. If you’re a parent navigating a separation, it’s crucial to understand what decision-making power looks like in New York. Custody isn’t a one-dimensional concept. In New York family law, it has two main parts: Physical custody: Where the child lives most of the time Legal custody: Who makes the major decisions about the child’s upbringing. Understanding the distinction between the two is critical for protecting your voice as a parent.
Co-parenting doesn’t have to feel like a constant battle. When the emotional dust settles after a separation or divorce, many parents find themselves still at odds, not over the custody agreement itself, but over the everyday logistics of raising children across two households. Miscommunication, missed pickups, and vague assumptions can quickly create tension. The solution? You need a system. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through tools that actually work to reduce friction and keep your focus where it belongs, on your children. From communication apps to shared calendars, we’re sharing real solutions that support clarity, consistency, and calm.
Children thrive on structure. Summer disrupts the rhythm your child counts on. They’re trading classrooms for camps, routines for travel, and often bouncing between homes more frequently than during the school year. The excitement of summer fun is often laced with anxiety that neither parent sees until it shows up in behavior.
When school lets out, many co-parents brace for impact. Summer schedules bring travel, sleepaway camp, day programs, and shifting routines, which can ignite conflict faster than sunscreen melts. At ASJ Law Office, we’ve seen it all. And more importantly, we know what the courts actually say about summer parenting time. Let’s bust some myths, answer some surprising "Did You Know?" questions, and help you avoid becoming the cautionary tale in a family court ruling.