My Ex Insists on Homeschooling Our Son. What Can I Do?

 Posted on September 13, 2024 in Child Custody / Parental Responsibilities

Illinois courts generally prefer joint custody arrangements. Even if one parent has primary visitation rights, both generally have a say in important decisions that affect their child, including making choices about their education. As homeschooling grows in popularity, divorced parents are finding themselves entangled in disagreements when one parent wants to homeschool the child, but the other is opposed. Some children benefit immensely from the social setting of being in school, while others are far more suited to a homeschooling arrangement. Likewise, some parents would be excellent at teaching their own children, and others would struggle. When you and your ex share parental responsibilities and need to make decisions together, it can be hard when you disagree about what is best for your child. If you are dealing with this challenging situation, speak with an experienced Skokie, IL joint custody attorney to review your options.

Can I Stop My Ex from Homeschooling Our Child?

Some children flourish in a typical school setting, but others struggle to learn and find themselves among their classmates. Homeschooling emerged as a creative solution that enables children to learn in a supportive home environment. However, there can be concerns about the child falling behind academically and socially and that the teaching parent lacks supervision. If you are strongly opposed to you ex homeschooling your child, you have some options:

• Review your custody agreement: The arrangement that is formalized in your divorce court order might include information about how decisions need to be reached. If, for example, a decision about the child’s education requires both parents’ agreement, your ex is not authorized to decide on her own to homeschool. A lawyer can guide you through this.
• Mediation: A court could recommend mediation to help you and your ex reach an agreement. You might find that the neutral third party is better able to understand the underlying issues guiding both of you and find a compromise. Mediation is much less intense than going to court, which can also keep emotions and tensions manageable.
• Court: When all else fails, you can file a court motion to review the case and make a decision that will be binding to both of you. You will each have an opportunity to present your side, and the judge will consider many factors to determine what is in your child’s best interest.

Contact a Chicago, IL Child Custody Lawyer

If you and your ex cannot agree about your child’s education, a dedicated Cook County, IL family law attorney can help you navigate this stressful period. At The Law Offices of Curtis Bennett Ross, L.L.C. we understand how hard it is when parents disagree over the best course of action for their child. Call us at 312-984-1514 so we can review the case and work together on how to move forward.