Co-parenting at any time of the year can be extremely challenging, as a number of things can get in your way.
This is even more so the case during the holidays, as both parents will want to spend as much time as possible with their child.
On July 4, for example, you may have the desire to watch the evening fireworks with your child. Or maybe on Christmas, you want to be there in the morning to open gifts.
Here are some tips for better managing parenting time over the holidays (regardless of which one it is):
- Make your child your priority: Don’t think so much about yourself, but instead think about the things you can do to make life easier on your child.
- Visit your parenting agreement: This typically outlines what you can and can’t do during major holidays, so make sure you review it to better understand your legal rights.
- Plan in advance: If you have a particular want or need, talk to the other parent about it as far in advance as possible. This will help you get on the same page.
- Remain flexible: It would be great if you could spend every holiday with your child, but this isn’t likely to be the case. You should remain flexible to ensure that everyone, including the other parent, is as happy as possible in the end.
With these tips guiding you, you’ll find it much easier to manage parenting time over the holidays.
If for any reason the other parent is not cooperating, learn more about your legal rights and how to protect them.
Source: The Huffington Post, “5 Tips for Managing Parenting Time During the Holidays,” accessed June 14, 2018