The best holiday custody schedules are cooperative endeavors between both co-parents. But not all separations and divorces leave the parties on good enough terms to remain civil with each other.
But don’t despair. Instead, review your options and formulate a workable holiday custody plan that doesn’t leave the kids traveling for hours between their parents’ homes. Below are a few tips that could ease the process for all.
Keep the kids’ interests your main priority
If the winter holidays bring in a slew of extended family like grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins on one parent’s side of the family, your child(ren) will be mightily disappointed to miss out on all the fun. If that holiday falls on your custody days with the kids, it’s a kindness to agree to trade-off for another weekend or holiday vacation.
Don’t malign the other parent in front of the kids
Yes, they might seem to be your nemesis right now, but remember that to your children, your co-parent is a much-loved parental figure. Tamp down any angry words and manage the hand-off with grace and civility.
If the other parent resists all compromises
Your final option is to involve the courts. With legal guidance, you can draft and file a petition to clarify or modify the holiday custody schedule. Most parents prefer to work out a schedule amenable to both. Unfortunately, that is not always possible.
In this situation, the court considers both sides’ proposals and makes the final decision that will be filed in the county’s Clerk of Court’s office.
