Co-parenting has its challenges but you do not want them to rear up during the holidays. With some planning, patience and flexibility, you can continue to make the holidays special for your California children while also taking care of yourself.
Set the holiday parenting schedule early
Even if you and your children’s other parent included a holiday custody schedule in your agreement, you will want to go over it early to confirm all the details. If you do not have one, that will be the time to create one, with the children’s best interests in mind. This is when patience and flexibility will come in handy, as you might need to negotiate how the children spend this time, particularly if both your families celebrate the holidays. You might find yourself giving up some of your time with the children, for example, to ensure they can see their visiting grandparents from their other parent’s side.
Plan together and avoid competition and conflict
Little things can cause conflicts between parents but successful co-parenting is all about communication. To avoid conflicts and competition, you and the children’s other parent should reach an agreement on different issues regarding the holidays. These include:
- Deciding together on the gifts for the children
- Explaining to the children how the holiday parenting schedule will work
- Setting up the expectations for the different events of the season in a positive manner
Spending time away from the children during the holidays might be emotionally difficult, even if you have many other things to do during this time. It is a good idea to also think of yourself by taking time to pamper yourself and by spending time with other loved family and friends. Seeing you happy will also reassure the children that it is okay for them to split their time during the holidays between their parents without feeling guilty.