With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to ensure that your Holiday Time-Sharing goes smoothly.
This is not a problem with many divorced couples, but it’s best to resolve issues now. The number of different Time-Sharing schedules people use is as diverse as the number of couples themselves. Many people equally divide the Thanksgiving and Winter breaks. However, the statutes on time-sharing do not provide much guidance.
Instead, that statute provides guidance to our Family Law courts on how to divide time between the parents overall. The Florida Supreme Court approved Parenting Plans does provide that parents consider Holiday Time-Sharing. However, it’s often left up to the parents to fill in these details.
It’s best to detail the holiday time-sharing up front.
Problems arise when people do not discuss these details, or when the Parenting Plan is vague. In addition, many parents disagree on how to divide the holiday based on when their own families celebrate. For some families, Christmas Eve is important. For other families, Christmas Day is critical
Likewise, those parents who celebrate Hanukkah should discuss the best way to equally divide this time. Be receptive to your family’s needs, but also consider the other parent’s requests. Remember that most children see both families as being important.
Now is also a good time to address Holiday Parenting-Time for Spring Break. Many hotels and other places are busy during Spring Break. Booking a hotel room last minute is not a great strategy.
Look ahead and see what your Parenting-Plan says. Discuss it with the other parent. For those who are in high conflict cases, a useful way to speak with the other parent is thru Talking Parents. However, there are other ways to communicate, such as email. A little planning now can prevent a big headache later.
We hope that everyone has a fantastic Holiday season. It’s a great time to catch up with family and friends. For more information, check out these videos on our website.