As the Christmas holidays approach, it is technically possible to keep your child custody schedule the same as it has been all year. This is exactly what some parents do. And while it can work in the sense that it keeps things simple, it can be an issue when both parents would like to see their children around the holidays.
So what type of alterations would allow both you and your ex to see the kids on Christmas? Here are some potential schedules to consider.
Alternating every other year
For one thing, if your standard custody schedule already says that you have custody of the children over Christmas, it may be easiest just to keep it that way. Next year, your ex can have custody over Christmas. All you need to do is plan in advance when creating the yearly schedule, and you both get to see the children every other year.
Celebrating together
Couples who are not on good terms likely will not want to have a joint Christmas celebration, as it may lead to conflict. But there are also couples who are on amicable terms and still get along relatively well. If this describes you and your ex, you may want to coordinate to celebrate at least a portion of Christmas Day together so that you both get to see the children.
Splitting the day
A compromise, if the above two options do not seem viable, is simply to split up the holiday itself. Maybe you already have custody of the children, so they will wake up at your house on Christmas morning. After lunch, you can drive them to your ex’s house so they can spend the afternoon and evening there.
Your custody rights
These three options can all work, along with other creative solutions couples sometimes come up with. The key is to plan in advance and to ensure that you understand all of your custody rights at this time.