As the holiday season approaches, it is important for co-parents to consider how their parenting plan might change at this time. It is usually best to make a plan in advance. Often, the parenting plan can be written in such a way that the holidays have their own unique schedule that takes precedence over the traditional parenting schedule.
But exactly how do you want to address the holidays? That is unique to every couple, depending on their situation and what will work best, as long as it is in line with the child’s best interests. Here are a few common solutions.
Splitting holidays in half
First, parents may decide to split the actual holiday. The children may wake up at their mother’s house on Christmas morning and then go to their father’s house in the afternoon, for example.
Having 2 celebrations
In other cases, parents will simply have two holiday celebrations. One parent may celebrate Thanksgiving on the actual day, for example, and the other parent will celebrate over the weekend.
Alternating years
Another potential tactic is to switch back and forth every other year. For instance, a child may be with their mother on Christmas one year and with their father on Thanksgiving. The following year, they flip the holidays.
Planning joint celebrations
For parents who are still on amicable terms, there is also the option to have a joint holiday celebration. That only works in low-conflict situations, but some parents are able to spend the day together with their child so that no one has to miss out.
No matter what you decide to do, it is important to plan in advance, consider your parental rights and understand how these changes over the holidays can impact child custody plans.