Deciding who the kids spend time with during holidays in a divorce can be difficult and emotional. There are certain holidays that both parents definitely want to spend with the children, and the children can often end up being pulled in different directions. So how can New Jersey parents make an arrangement that benefits the children and still allows the parents to share certain holidays with them? One way is to make a parenting plan.
Parenting plans can be made to cover just the holidays or to cover life in general. If the parenting plan is being drawn up before the divorce process has officially started, it might be easier for both parents to sit down and agree how to divide their children’s time. Even if a parent has primary physical custody, there are days, such as Christmas, where both parents might want to spend time with their children. A parenting plan can prevent any misunderstandings that can arise later.
One way to divide the holidays with a parenting plan is by settling on alternating years, where the children spend a particular holiday each year with a different parent. If the parents live close by and get along relatively well, with open communication, they might also choose to split the holiday, so that the children spend part of their holiday with each parent. The most important thing to remember when negotiating a parenting plan is that both parties must be flexible and keep the best interests of the children in mind.
When a parent is trying to negotiate such a plan, a family law attorney might be able to offer advice to make the process easier and less emotional. Everyone will not be able to get everything they want during the negotiations, and it is always best to avoid falling into a cycle of he-said, she-said, in trying to fight for time with the children.
