Charlotte Divorce Lawyer Blog
Holiday Parenting Guide for Newly Separated or Divorced Parents
The holidays are meant to be fun times spent with family and friends. When you are going through a separation or divorce, this time of year can be much more challenging. As a parent, you want to provide your child with a meaningful experience without any strife or stress. It is important to establish a new family normal that will help to guide you through the holiday season and beyond.
Agree to Set Aside Disputes
The holidays are hard enough as newly separated or divorced parents without getting into ongoing disputes. Although you may not like each other much right now, you will need to set aside any ill feelings. Strive to ensure that you avoid disagreements and set a time later where you can discuss ongoing issues after the holidays are over. Make certain you do not allow your children to be present if you argue.
Create New Family Traditions
Children thrive when they have family traditions to hold onto. While the holidays may look different now, you can establish new traditions that will set the stage for positive and healthy ongoing interactions. You can set up new activities and things to do with your children to replace things you may have done as a family in the past. Children will quickly adapt to the changes as long as you are a positive role model for the experiences.
Allow for Family Time
One of the most difficult things to do as a newly separated or divorced parent is to allow for your child to spend time with the other parent. Keep in mind that the child has grandparents and extended family on both sides that they should visit with during the holidays. Consider splitting up the time in a way that gives both parents time with their child during the times of the holiday that are special. For instance, the child may spend the holiday eve with one parent and the holiday with the other.
Talk to Your Former Spouse
Communication with the other parent is critical during the holiday period. It is best to discuss plans well ahead of time so everyone can make the necessary arrangements. Having a holiday schedule set up in advance is comforting for you and your children and will reduce stress and anxiety that comes with not knowing what will happen. At the same time, you need to be sure that your plans are within the boundaries of your parenting plan. If you wish to make changes, ensure that you and your spouse agree, in writing if possible, so there are no surprises or problems.
Children often take their cues from their parents. When parents are in agreement about the holidays, the children will happily go along with the new arrangements. If you are starting the divorce process, we are here to help every step of the way. Call us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at ( 704) 370-2828 to talk about your legal needs as you enter this new phase of your life.
The family law practice group at Arnold & Smith, PLLC includes two Board-Certified Family Law specialists and one Child Welfare Law specialist, as well as several attorneys with many years of family law experience that are committed to providing a powerful voice to individuals facing the often-tumultuous issues in this area of law. The range of issues our family law clients may be facing include pre- and post-nuptial agreements; separation agreements; post-separation support; child support (both temporary and permanent); absolute divorce; divorce from bed and board; military divorce; equitable distribution of assets; child custody (both temporary and permanent); retirement benefits and divorce; alimony and spousal support; adoption; and emancipation. Because this area of the law is usually emotionally charged and complicated, the family law attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC act with the utmost dedication to ensure that each client understands his or her options, and then act to achieve the best result possible for that client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/parenting_plan
https://www.webmd.com/balance/why-family-traditions-matter
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/family-thanksgiving-celebration-0410-5702559
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