On behalf of The Marks Law Firm, L.L.C. posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Sharing custody time with your ex-husband or wife can be complicated enough during a normal, average week. Holiday sharing can be even more complicated when not only do you have to come to an agreement with your ex-spouse, but you also feel pressures from your own parents and other extended relatives who want to share the children during the holiday celebrations.
A judge will set out a specific parenting time schedule in child custody cases where every hour is accounted for; every holiday from Christmas to Labor Day is scheduled between both parents. This court ordered schedule seems like the simplest of solutions, but in all practicality does not always fit with family plans year to year, especially as time goes on and the children’s needs change. One mom says that she listens to the kids when her and her husband schedule their holidays and often times those schedules do not match the court ordered holiday requirements.
While some parents may never be able to vary from the ordered schedule, set out by a court to avoid arguments or at least have a final decision, but some parents who are able to communicate and work together have found that varying from the schedule from time to time is okay. They have even found that when their children have expressed their desires for the holidays, listening to them can make everything a little easier. Of course, they cannot dictate exactly what will happen, but listening to what they want can help keep everyone happy.
The holidays are another opportunity for cooperative co-parenting. Working with your ex-spouse to come to a compromise that makes both sides happy, means the favor may be returned in the future.
Source: Huffington Post “Splitting Up The Holidays? It’s All About The Kids” Jennifer Cullen 11/16/10