How to Avoid Holiday Child Custody Battles
How to Avoid Holiday Child Custody Battles
In an ideal world, the holidays are a time of joy, celebration, and love. However, we know that is not always the case and chaos, at times, can take over. When it comes to divorced couples with children, our goal at Harris Cook is to help ensure happy holidays for all. Here are a few ways to avoid Holiday Child Custody Battles.
1. Openly Communicate Your Holiday Plans
The first way to avoid holiday child custody battles is to openly communicate your holiday plans with the other parent. If you take the time to send emails, text messages, and necessary travel plans well in advance with the other parent, then you are setting yourself up for a more enjoyable and stress-free holiday. However, if you fail to communicate your desired plans with the other party, arguments and miscommunication may ensue, potentially causing stress for the parents and children. Our team recommends you make sharing this sort of information part of your normal routine so that when the holidays arrive, you are already practicing effective communication.
2. Understand Your Court Order
If two parents have a relationship where effective communication cannot or does not take place, then you need to study your court order. If you fall in a category where, as parents, you do not work well together, you will need to abide by the court order and know the expectations of holiday schedules and understand you will have to follow what has been mandated in the order.
3. Changes to the Schedules Should be Made in Writing
Typically, parents have to abide by the court-ordered schedules. However, if agreed upon by both parties, they can make revisions to the order. Our attorneys recommend you get these agreements in writing. Text messages and email can be considered a written agreement.
4. Plan Ahead
Keep in mind that making changes to possession schedules takes time and money. If you need to modify your possession schedule for the holidays, you should file a change with the court at a minimum, two months prior to the holidays.
If you or someone you know needs guidance on how to avoid holiday child custody battles, contact the Family Law Attorneys at Harris Cook, LLP.