How Divorcing Parents Should Prepare For The Holidays
Published On: November 21, 2013
The phrase “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” is more than just a song lyric these days. The holiday season is in full swing (even though Thanksgiving has not come yet) if you have visited a shopping mall lately. Indeed, while holiday shopping isn’t measured until Black Friday, most retailers know that getting consumers into stores early is a recipe for success.
For parents going through a divorce or having custody issues, this mentality should serve them well. Essentially, planning early for the holidays should be their focus for a successful season. After all, by getting ideas and preferences out on the table early, disputes and disappointments can be avoided on Christmas Eve or other important days when families have events.
Planning can help in two ways. First, you can establish a rapport so that both sides a child’s family can enjoy the holiday season with the child. By being able to share special times with a number of family members, the child can have a memorable holiday. (Getting presents from multiple family members doesn’t hurt either.) Second, you allow yourself ample time to seek court intervention in the event a parent refuses to cooperate or threatens to deny access to the child. Family court judges do not like when parents do not allow a child to see other family members, especially when it is done out of spite.
With this in mind, parents who are having difficulty (or anticipate problems) securing parenting time should consult an experienced family law attorney.
Source: HuffingtonPost.com, “Holiday season approach – What divorcing parents need to prepare for“, October 8 2013
