How a vacation request works
"Can I take the kids to Florida Nov 8 to 14?"
Notice, trip length, and their overnights, checked against your plan.
Your co-parent approves, declines, or suggests other dates.
Most vacation fights start with a request that breaks a rule nobody remembered. Trip Check shows you the rule first.
Trip Check: does this trip fit our plan?
Before you ask your co-parent, ask Companion. It reads the vacation rules in your parenting plan (the longest trip allowed, how much notice you have to give, and a yearly limit if your plan sets one) and checks your dates against them. It also counts how many of your co-parent's scheduled overnights the trip would take, because that is time they would need to agree to give up.
The answer comes back as a card with exact numbers, not a paragraph of guesses: trip length against the limit, notice against the requirement, their overnights affected, any holidays that fall during the trip, and whatever else is already on the shared calendar for those days. If something breaks a rule, it is flagged before you send anything.
The request, drafted for you
From the trip check, one tap opens a vacation request already filled in with the dates and destination. Review it, add a note, and send it when you are ready. The request form runs the same check, so a trip that is short on notice shows the warning there too. Companion never sends anything to your co-parent on its own; see how Companion works.
Approve, decline, or suggest other dates
Your co-parent gets the request in the app, by push notification, and by email if they have it turned on. They can approve it, decline it with a reason, or suggest other dates. A counter-proposal stays linked to the original request, and either of you can accept, decline, or counter again until the dates work.
The same flow handles a schedule swap (trading days) and a coverage request (asking the other parent to take a block of time). When a request is approved, it goes onto the calendar, so neither home is guessing about who has the kids that week.
Everything on the record
Every request, response, and counter-proposal is saved with its date and time, so "I told you about that trip months ago" becomes something you can show instead of argue about. If a dispute ever reaches your attorney, the history is already organized. See how CoreParent records work.
In English or Spanish
Companion's trip check answers in the language you use the app in, and requests reach your co-parent in theirs. See the bilingual co-parenting app page.
Common questions
How much notice do I need to give before a vacation with my kids?
That depends on your parenting plan or court order; many plans set a notice period and a maximum trip length. CoreParent reads those rules from your plan and tells you whether your dates meet them before you send the request. This is general information, not legal advice.
What happens if my trip takes my co-parent's scheduled time?
Trip Check counts how many of your co-parent's scheduled overnights the trip would take and flags it, because those nights need their agreement. You can still send the request; your co-parent decides whether to approve it.
Can my co-parent suggest different dates?
Yes. Instead of only approving or declining, your co-parent can suggest other dates. The counter-proposal stays linked to your original request, and you can accept, decline, or counter again.
Does Companion send the request for me?
No. Companion drafts the request with your dates and destination; you review it and choose whether to send it. Nothing reaches your co-parent without your confirmation.
Is this included in the free plan?
Calendar requests and Companion's everyday help are included with CoreParent, free plan included, and paid plans add more Companion questions. See the pricing page for current plans.