Parents need to listen to their children, rather than focusing on their own feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Children may express their feelings to their non-custodial parents as part of the process of adjusting to their new surroundings. In addition, quiet, low-key activities, such as going for a walk or cooking dinner together, helps to ease the initial transition from one home to the other. Prior to the visit, parents can remind their children of different rules and expectations. For example, perhaps children can eat dinner in front of the television when they live with their mother, but their father expects them to eat with him at the dining room table.
Children feel more secure when they're familiar with daily routines.
The non-custodial parent can develop a schedule of a typical day the children will experience and send it to them prior to the summer visit. Also, doing this may motivate non-custodial parents to make plans in advance for their children's visits. The non-custodial parent can send a list of the clothes and other items the children may need during a visit, to the custodial parent. Children feel more confident if they know about special events that may take place, such as biking or fishing, and are prepared with appropriate clothing and gear. If children must travel by bus, train or plane to visit a non-custodial parent, they may be anxious or frightened.