Halloween is a great time. Ghosts and goblins are ready to come out, and kids love to trick or treat.
But for many caught in a divorce, it’s also a time when parents argue over who gets to take the kids around the block. Young kids love to dress up, and it’s a fun time. But it gets hard when both parents want to share in that time. Prior planning can help avoid conflict.
In Florida, courts use parenting plans to outline each parent’s time with the children.
These plans usually have a lot of detail, but Halloween is not always included. Good planning in advance can prevent problems. One solution is for the parents to divide the day or afternoon in half. They can even rotate the times the following year. Most parenting plans have a section for holidays, and parents should add as much detail as they can to prevent problems.
The same applies for other major holidays. Putting in details now will prevent problems later. Vague statements are what leads to litigation, so make sure to insert anything you want when crafting your parenting plan. Thanksgiving, for example, can be divided in half or rotated each year. The Winter Break should also be addressed. I meet parents who complete a divorce without having a Winter Break schedule. They would not need help fixing the issue if this was addressed during the initial case.
The hallmark of any parenting plan is being flexible.
Parents will have things come up that require changes to their plan. This could be work conflicts, social events, or family emergencies. Parents who cooperate will have happier and healthier children. So make sure this Halloween season to work together. Share time with your children as they go trick or treating. Dress them up, take them out, and enjoy. But remember that parenting is a shared experience.