For most divorcing couples, some kind of joint custody arrangement is in their children’s best interests. As long as both you and your ex are loving, nurturing, and involved parents, your kids deserve to spend time with both of you.
If you want to ensure your children thrive after the divorce, you probably already know that you will have to make certain sacrifices. Because you are ultimately doing it for their benefit, it can be easy to accept a 50/50 custody arrangement—until the holidays roll around and you realize you will not get to see them as much as you’d like.
The idea that you will not get to partake in favorite holiday traditions from year to year can be devastating. Depending on your particular situation, though, you may be able to devise an arrangement that allows you to see your children on every holiday and special occasion.
If you are in the middle of a contentious custody battle, contact Behrens Law Firm, LLC. Barbara L. Behrens has been practicing law for more than three decades, and she will help you avoid costly mistakes during the divorce proceedings. Call 314-499-6999 to schedule a case evaluation with a St. Louis child custody attorney.
Read on to learn four tips for dividing the holidays when devising a custody arrangement:
- Split the Day in Half
If you and your ex plan on living near each other after the divorce, splitting every holiday in half may be the most satisfactory way to divide them. This will allow your children to spend part of the holiday with each parent, and you can alternate which part of the day you both get for total fairness.
For example, you could have your children on the night of Christmas Eve into Christmas morning this year. Next year, your ex can have them Christmas morning, and you can take them for the night of the 25th.
- Alternate Holidays Every Other Year
No parent wants to miss spending the holidays with their children, but this arrangement ensures you never miss more than one in a row. Thus, if you get Christmas this year, your ex will get it next year, but you can be sure you will then get it the following year.
- Celebrate the Holidays on Your Own Time
Abandoning old traditions may be hard, but you and your children can create new ones by celebrating each holiday when it suits you. For example, if it is your ex’s year for Christmas, you can still decorate a tree and exchange presents; just do so on a weekend when the kids are with you.
- Assign Certain Fixed Holidays
Most children of divorce spend certain holidays with the same parent every year. This might include Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and each parent’s birthday. Assigning a few fixed holidays will make the schedule much easier to remember and more predictable for your kids.
Although the above tips can help you devise a custody arrangement for the next few years, Parents reminds readers that they will need to review the arrangement periodically and adjust it as needed. If something is not working for you, do not be afraid to speak up, even if that means going back to court because your ex is stubborn.
If you are considering divorce or find yourself in the middle of a custody battle, contact Behrens Law Firm, LLC. Call 314-499-6999 to schedule a consultation with a child custody lawyer in St. Louis. You can learn more about custody in Missouri by visiting USAttorneys.com.
