It can be difficult to figure out child custody during the Christmas holidays. Parents who share custody need to find a way to make the holidays fit with their parenting plan.
There are many different potential complications. These include the fact that children no longer have to go to school during the holiday break and the fact that Christmas is a potentially chaotic family holiday that may include a lot of traveling. Below are three different options to consider.
Choosing different days
In some cases, parents will decide to have Christmas separately, on different days. One parent may be with the children on the actual Christmas Day, for instance, while the other parent may celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. Children may be very open to the idea of having multiple holiday celebrations.
Dividing the day
Another potential option is for parents to divide the day in half. If they live close together, this can work. One parent has the children in the morning and then they go to the other parent’s house around lunch. But it can be hard to make this work if it means a lot of driving in the middle of the holiday.
Sharing the day together
For couples who are on amicable terms, it is also possible for parents to share Christmas Day itself. When parents can get along, this arrangement can make things go more smoothly. There is less travel time, and children get to see both of their parents at once. But being together can lead to conflicts for some divorced couples.
These are just three options to show you some of the things you need to consider when looking into parenting time over the holidays. Be sure you know exactly what rights you have.