It is nearing the end of the year and many families are preparing for several fall and winter holidays. For divorced parents who share custody of their children, this time of year can be the hardest. Co-parents may need to discuss how they are going to spend the holiday with their children.
Co-parents can prepare in advance for the holidays. Here are some questions to ask:
What holidays are being celebrated?
There are many different fall and winter holidays and many people only celebrate a few. Parents may have different religious or cultural beliefs that will decide which holidays they celebrate. For some parents, this can make things challenging if they celebrate the same holidays. However, if parents celebrate different holidays, it may be easier to split custody time.
Where are parents spending the holidays?
Not everyone spends the holidays the same way. Many people spend their holidays at home or with family while others may go on vacations at the beach or on cruises. How each parent wants to spend their holiday can ultimately decide which parent will have custody of their children.
Will the holidays be split or together?
Some co-parents believe that it is better to spend the holidays together as a whole family. This can work for many people. However, other families may want to spend their holidays with their side of the family. Deciding your approach in advance can make the decisions easier.
Whose turn is it this year?
Many co-parents will split the holidays up. One year, one co-parent may have their children for Halloween. Next year, the other co-parent will have their children for Halloween. Deciding which holiday each parent gets can make it fair for everyone.
Parents can seek legal guidance to discuss child custody arrangements during the holidays.
