Who’s Home for the Holidays?

There are many holidays throughout the year that parents wish to celebrate with their children, especially after a divorce. There are many ways that this can be accomplished. With so many options, a Brooklyn family law attorney can help you create a holiday schedule, so that both parents feel satisfied about the final schedule.

Alternate holidays

When you alternate holidays, each parent is assigned specific holidays for even or odd years. For example, Dad gets the kids on Thanksgiving for odd years and Christmas for even years. The alternation comes when Mom gets the kids for Thanksgiving for even years and Christmas for odd years. This allows each parent to spend the holidays with their children, without missing more than a one year with them.

Split the day

If parents still live close enough to each other, splitting the holiday in half can be a good compromise. You can even alternate who gets the kids for the first half and who gets them for the second half. This won’t work as well if the parents live more than a couple of hours apart.

Assign fixed holidays

Assigning fixed holidays is common, particularly for those holidays such as Mother’s and Father’s Days. Those holidays make sense for spending with a specific parent, but all other holidays can also be assigned in the same way.

Celebrate twice

Another option is to celebrate the holiday twice. One parent can celebrate on the actual day, while the other chooses a different day. This is a method often used in combination with the assignment of fixed holidays or alternating holidays.

You can also use any combination of the above, including combining all 4 methods to create a unique, and workable, schedule for your children. Keep in mind that the holiday schedule has priority over the regular custody/visitation schedule.

Levitsky Law Firm is ready to help you work together to create a holiday schedule that everyone feels is fair and in the best interests of the children. Contact us today to get your holiday schedule in place.