- 03-Jul-2025
- public international law
Custody arrangements typically cover important aspects of a child’s upbringing, including daily routines, living arrangements, and major decisions regarding education and health care. However, for parents who share joint custody, extracurricular activities—such as art, dance, sports, and other creative endeavors—can also become a point of consideration. Whether or not such activities are included in a custody plan depends on the agreement between the parents and the court's focus on the child's best interests. Parents can collaborate to share these activities, but conflicts may arise if clear communication and boundaries aren’t established.
In joint custody, both parents typically share the responsibility for major decisions affecting the child’s welfare. This may include decisions about extracurricular activities like art or dance. If both parents agree on the importance of such activities, they can create a structured plan for participation, taking into account the child’s interests and the availability of each parent to facilitate transportation and scheduling.
Custody plans often address how children will spend their time between both parents. This can include shared responsibilities for getting the child to art or dance classes, especially if these activities take place on different days or at different times. A detailed custody plan may allocate one parent to take the child to certain lessons, while the other parent handles the remaining sessions.
Art and dance activities may not be tied to strict schedules like school hours, so there may be flexibility in how both parents participate. In some cases, parents may decide together that art or dance lessons should be attended by the child based on their interests, regardless of which parent has physical custody at the time. For example, if the child is enrolled in a dance class, both parents could agree to alternate drop-off and pick-up responsibilities, based on the schedule that works best for them.
Disagreements might arise if one parent prefers the child to engage in a particular type of creative activity while the other parent disagrees. For instance, one parent might encourage the child to take ballet lessons, while the other might favor drawing or painting classes. In these cases, parents should discuss and compromise, always keeping the child’s best interests and desires in mind.
Dance and art classes can require substantial time commitments. Parents might have different opinions on how much time should be spent on these activities. A clear, agreed-upon schedule that divides time fairly between the parents is critical to ensuring that one parent isn’t overburdened with transporting or attending these activities while the other does not fulfill their obligations.
Both parents should strive to remain emotionally supportive of the child’s involvement in art or dance. This can include attending recitals, exhibitions, or competitions together or separately. In situations where one parent has a stronger emotional connection to a particular activity, they may be more willing to make additional efforts to support it, but this should be done cooperatively to avoid feelings of resentment or inequity.
Like any other major decision in a custody case, the court’s primary concern is the child’s well-being. Courts may evaluate whether participating in an art or dance program supports the child’s emotional, social, and intellectual development. If one parent opposes a particular activity, the court will typically consider the benefits of the activity and whether it aligns with the child’s needs.
If the parents agree on the importance of extracurricular activities like art or dance, they may choose to include specific clauses in their custody arrangement to avoid conflicts. For example, the agreement might specify that both parents will cooperate in getting the child to rehearsals or lessons, or that they will alternate responsibilities for certain events.
If there is a dispute over whether a child should participate in an art or dance program, mediation is a common approach. The mediator will work with the parents to resolve the disagreement. If mediation fails, a parent can petition the court to modify the custody agreement to include or exclude certain activities, always with the child’s best interests in mind.
Open communication is essential for parents to work together in supporting their child’s extracurricular activities. They should be open about the child’s interests and ensure that the scheduling of activities does not interfere with other commitments, such as schoolwork or other extracurriculars.
Parents should set clear roles regarding who is responsible for transportation to and from classes, who attends recitals or shows, and how the time spent on these activities will be balanced with other parental obligations. Establishing these roles in advance helps minimize conflicts and ensures that both parents are involved.
It is also important for parents to involve the child in decisions, especially as they grow older. If the child expresses a strong desire to pursue a particular form of artistic expression, such as joining a dance company or an art school, parents should discuss the pros and cons of such involvement and respect the child’s preferences, while considering their overall well-being.
Parents may choose to specifically address art or dance in their custody agreement. This might include stipulations on who has the final say on selecting a program, how travel and attendance will be managed, and whether the activity is considered an important aspect of the child’s development.
Let’s say two parents share joint custody of a 9-year-old girl, and she is passionate about both ballet and painting. One parent, the father, is supportive of her interest in ballet and agrees to take her to weekly ballet lessons. The other parent, the mother, encourages her interest in painting and agrees to take her to an art class on weekends. However, the parents start to argue about which activity should take priority.
The parents should sit down and discuss the child’s preferences and how each activity benefits her development. They could agree on a balanced schedule where both ballet and painting are prioritized, and each parent contributes equally to transporting her.
They should include a clear plan in their custody agreement that outlines the days and times for each activity. This would reduce misunderstandings and scheduling conflicts. For example, the father could handle ballet on weekdays, while the mother takes her to art class on weekends.
Both parents should commit to attending major performances or exhibitions to show support for their daughter. This ensures she feels encouraged and appreciated in both her artistic pursuits.
If one of the activities becomes more important to the child as she grows, the parents should revisit the schedule and be open to modifying it in a way that supports the child’s evolving interests.
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