With Thanksgiving just behind us and the rest of the holiday season soon to follow, this time of year can be very stressful for all families. For divorced and divorcing parents, the stress of the holidays can become overwhelming when combined with the new sensation of separate holiday celebrations. Thankfully there are ways to ease the tension that can build up around this time of year.
Deciding how to split the holidays can be a challenging decision, but it is most important to consider the best interests of the children and what will be most comfortable for them, rather than focusing on your former spouse’s opinions. Getting into a tug of war with the kids over Christmas is no way to behave and can spoil what is supposed to be a happy time.
In some cases, where there is conflict between the parents about custody, the courts end up making the determination over who has the kids and for which holidays. Otherwise, if the parents can get along at all, they are typically able to make the decision between the two of them. Keeping things as cordial and consistent as possible can help the children to adapt to the divorce and changed circumstances, especially the new holiday traditions.
Experienced family law attorneys can help out if you need to develop or change an existing parenting plan. However, changing things around on a plan that works just for the sake of the holidays may not be best for the children involved. It’s best to instead come to a mutually agreeable solution in advance and then stick to it, preventing serious headaches from arising later on.
Source: “Putting Children First: The Best Gift Divorced Parents Can Give Their Children This Holiday Season,” by Randi L. Rubin, published at HuffingtonPost.com.