Co-Parenting Children During the Holidays

Co-parenting during the holidays is always complicated, and it can be especially tough immediately after a divorce or a breakup. You are probably remembering holidays in the past that you shared together as a family, and your kids are likely expecting certain family traditions to continue. In addition to feelings of sadness that you and your kids might experience, sharing children during the holiday season can also be contentious. Your ex might have certain holiday plans and will want to include the kids. Or, your ex might disagree with holiday plans you have made and will try to interfere. Our Charleston divorce lawyers have some tips for sharing children during the holidays.

Make a Reasonable Schedule in Advance

The best way to ensure that sharing kids during the holidays will go smoothly is to make a reasonable schedule in advance. When you are thinking about co-parenting over the holidays, you will want to think about what will work for you, your ex, and your kids. If you think about practical issues up front, and the type of schedule that will actually work in practice, the better the chance that you can plan ahead and stick to that schedule.

Plan to Alternate Years or Split Time Equally for Christmas or Another Specific Day

You will want to decide how to share the most important time of the holiday season, whether it is Christmas or another day. There are different ways to plan for sharing a special day this holiday season. As an article in Forbes explains, you can plan to alternate years so that each parent has the kids for the full day every other year. Or you can plan to split the day equally between the parents. For example, if you are thinking about Christmas Day, you can reach an agreement where one parent has the kids in the morning and early afternoon, and the other parent has the kids in the later afternoon and evening. You might also consider a plan where one parent always has the kids on Christmas eve and the other parent always has the kids on Christmas day. Then, you can begin creating new traditions for yourself and your kids on the particular day you share together each year.

Work Together to Buy Gifts for the Kids

Co-parenting will involve a significant amount of communication with your ex, and that communication can include talking to agree about gifts for your kids. When you work together to buy gifts for your kids, or at least to coordinate gifts, you can ensure that the kids will not favor one parent over the other over the holidays, and you will not end up in a situation where you feel like you are competing with the other parent.

Consider Celebrating Together If Possible

If you are still on relatively good terms with your ex, it may be possible to celebrate together with your kids. For example, if you celebrate Christmas, you might plan for everyone to spend the day together.

Contact a Charleston Divorce Lawyer

You should get in touch with one of our Charleston divorce lawyers to learn more about custody arrangements during the holidays and what options you might have. Contact The Peck Law Firm online today or call us at 843-631-7117 to learn more about how we can help you.

Share: