The holiday season can be tough for divorced parents to navigate. Coordinating celebrations becomes a challenge when there is no consensus on where the children will go. And gifting is difficult when there are disagreements on how much to spend and what to buy. If you find yourself facing these issues, it is important to understand some of the solutions that exist.
Working out a schedule
One common way that parents resolve holiday custody issues is by alternating who has the children. For instance, if you spend Christmas with your children, and your former spouse spends New Year’s with them, you would flip this around next year. If it is important for you to have your children on a specific holiday, this arrangement can be a way to make it happen. If both you and your former spouse want your children on a certain holiday, though, it may make sense to each spend part of the day with them. While this can be difficult to facilitate, it will allow your children to enjoy time with both of you – and both their extended families.
Alternatively, some divorced couples with children choose to celebrate holidays together. They may do so as a matter of convenience, or to preserve family traditions. This arrangement may not work if tension lingers between you and your former spouse. But it could be viable if you two have an amicable, civil relationship.
Working out a plan for gifts
As the holidays approach, you will also want to make sure you and your former spouse are on the same page about gifting. Challenges can arise if you two have different approaches to this. Without coordination, your children could end up with duplicate gifts – or with one of you trying to outdo the other. By working out a budget for presents and divvying up gifting responsibilities, you can do your best to prevent this outcome.
While the holidays can be a hassle for divorced parents, there are ways to cope with the challenges they present. By setting a schedule in stone and working out a plan for gifts, you can do your best to make the season as cheerful for your children – and yourself – as possible.