Splitting custody of your children during the holidays can be tough; especially if it is the first year you have separated from your spouse or significant other. During this time, it is important to remember that the holidays should be enjoyable for your children and that planning ahead can often resolve a lot of potential arguments. Here are a few tips to keep in mind this holiday season:
- Create a schedule to split the holidays and indicate when you would like to have your children. Try to negotiate time so that both parents can spend time with the children. Generally, one parent has Christmas Eve through a set time on Christmas Day and this alternates from year to year. Another way to split time is to split the Winter Break or Track Out for your children’s school. This way cuts down on a lot of back and forth but doesn’t always work for parents when both parents insist on seeing their children on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
- Be sure to consider travel time. Remember that the winter holiday season is a busy time for everyone. Airline tickets are expensive, and traffic can be heavy. Try to plan exchanges for times where there are less people traveling. This cuts down on the time the children are having to travel and reduces the likelihood of any hiccups in their schedule.
- Don’t forget traditions. If this is your first holiday apart, remember that your children likely cherish or look forward to traditions. This would be a great opportunity to start a new tradition, but it also may be nice to continue to incorporate some of the old ones too!
If your holiday season takes a turn for the worst, do not hesitate to contact a Raleigh custody attorney! At Miller Law Group we can help ease the stresses of the holiday season and try to prevent issues for future holidays as well.
