Working out a child custody and visitation schedule can be difficult enough, but then you have to throw holidays into the mix? Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to make it easier to set up a holiday schedule that you and your ex can stick to. Our Morris County, NJ child custody attorneys can help you make a fair arrangement.
What Are Some Ways to Split Up a Holiday Schedule?
There are a few ways to set up a holiday schedule and ensure that each parent gets a fair amount of parenting time. You can each choose your holidays and make a fixed schedule. For example, you can say that you want Thanksgiving each year and your ex can take Christmas.
If that arrangement doesn’t appeal to you, you can make a rotating schedule. So you get Thanksgiving and your ex gets Christmas this year, but next year you swap.
You may also be able to split up the day of a holiday evenly. If you and your former spouse live close together, there’s no reason why your kids couldn’t spend part of the day with each of you.
What Days Should Be Added to a Holiday Schedule?
It’s not just the big holidays that should be added to the schedule though. You should also think about adding some of the following days to your holiday schedule:
- The children’s birthdays
- Each parent’s birthday
- School holidays
- Community events
- Annual trips or vacations
If you know that there will be particular days that one parent is going to want to spend with the kids, then it’s a good idea to work that all out now.
What Should We Consider Before Finalizing the Holiday Schedule?
There are also a few other considerations that should be made before you put the finishing touches on your holiday schedules. You should think about:
- The ages of your kids
- Their schedules and activities
- The work schedules of both you and your ex
- How close you and your ex live to each other
- Any special needs of your children
There are no hard and fast rules about how a schedule like this should work. Make sure that your final plan suits your family and their unique needs.
How Can a Family Law Attorney Help?
Sometimes, one parent doesn’t treat the holiday schedule you have crafted with respect. If your ex is not keeping to your agreement, you should talk to an attorney. Someone from our firm can help you explore your options and enforce the schedule you originally agreed on. If there’s an issue and your former spouse wants to change the schedule, we can help you address this as well.
Talk to Our Legal Team
If you and your ex are struggling to hash out a fair holiday schedule, we may be able to help. Contact Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, L.L.C. to schedule a consultation with our team. We have plenty of experience assisting with child custody issues.
