Co-parenting during the holidays is often challenging. These tips may help make the holiday season a little easier for your family.
The holiday season can stir up family issues, especially when parents are divorced or separated. Significant memories are made during the holidays, so making them as enjoyable as possible for your children is essential.
Pinellas Family Lawyer helps our clients throughout the entire divorce process. This includes helping families cope successfully with their new challenges after divorce. If you’re struggling with how to handle this holiday season, these strategies may help.
Holiday Co-Parenting Tips
There are various ways to co-parent successfully during the holidays. Circumstances are different for each family, but these general tips can be incorporated into almost any situation.
- Communicate with the other parent – Whether you discuss it in person or by text, communicating your holiday plans with your ex from the outset to ensure you are on the same page is essential. Coordinating your schedules will help you successfully navigate a potentially stressful season. Remember that the plan isn’t just for you but for your children. The goal is to make it stress-free and enjoyable for them.
- Be flexible – You’ve set your schedule and made a plan, but even the best-laid plans don’t work out. The kids may get sick, bad weather may prevent travel, or something else may interfere. Therefore, flexibility can go a long way when the plans don’t work out exactly as you’d hoped. Be prepared to shift the dates or plan to trade next year.
- Consider mediation – If you and your ex have trouble communicating or are on bad terms, consider seeking a counselor or mediator. Parenting plans can be modified but before you rush to court, meet with a neutral third party to discuss your needs, ideas, and circumstances. This method may help you work your schedule out successfully.
- Practice self-care – It’s easy to get overwhelmed and stressed during the holidays. You may have other difficult situations to overcome as well as deal with your ex. Therefore, ensure you take care of yourself physically and emotionally during this time. The better prepared mentally you are, the better you will be able to take care of your kids.
In our experience dealing with child custody issues, we have found that the best solutions for the children come from meditating with the parents. The children thrive in a better environment when both parents are satisfied with the co-parenting schedule and feel that their needs and concerns have been met.
Speak With an Experienced Attorney
An experienced family lawyer understands the complicated circumstances surrounding the holiday season. At Pinellas Family Lawyer, we aim to help make your circumstances less stressful. We have helped hundreds of families navigate the issues and challenges of co-parenting. These tips may not solve every problem, but they can smooth the situation when put into practice.