Doesn’t it seem as if the year is speeding by? After all, Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away. While this time of year is exciting, for separated or divorced parents with minor children, it can be quite a challenge.
If you haven’t done so already, below are some tips to help you and your co-parent get through the winter holidays.
Abide by the judgment in place
If you have already been to court and have a custody judgment in place, you must follow the rules set forth in the court order. Failing to do so can land you in court on contempt charges and affect your custody rights.
But be willing to compromise
Some co-parents manage to get along post-split. If you can communicate well with your ex, it may be possible to compromise on some holiday custody issues. For instance, if you have out-of-state relatives joining you for the holidays, you may be able to arrange a trade-off that you both can accept.
Don’t spend the day in transit
If you and your ex live in the same town, it’s simple to split the big holidays. One parent can have the kids from the morning to early afternoon and the other parent can pick them up for the rest of the day and night.
But if you live farther away than a few minutes’ drive, it’s not fair to make your child spend the bulk of their holidays traveling between their parents’ homes.
Is your custody arrangement no longer working?
As your children grow, they can outgrow the custody agreement already set in place. When that happens, you can always petition the court for a custody modification.