Navigating the holidays after a child custody battle

As the air begins to chill and the leaves turn colors, fall is in full swing. In Colorado and elsewhere, people are preparing for the upcoming holiday season. For some, this a time of excitement and anticipation. For parents who have fought a child custody battle in recent years, however, the holidays may not be quite so enjoyable. The following advice was recently published to give parents insight into how to make the next few weeks something to remember — for all the right reasons.

The first thing that divorced parents should remember is the simple fact that the basic structure of the family has changed. It will be impossible to recreate the traditions and practices of years past, because the primary players are no longer in the same positions. While this may seem like a basic observation, it is one that often gets overshadowed by parents who are trying their best to make the holidays just as they have always been.

Parents would be better served to think about the new traditions they would like to incorporate into the holiday season. Kids of all ages can play a role in that process, and most will have their own opinions on how they would like to celebrate the holidays. This a great time to emphasize the true meaning behind each celebration and to realign the family’s practices with those principles.

Hopefully, both spouses gave considerable thought to the structure of the holiday parenting plan and the sharing of time between both households. It is not uncommon, however, for parents to find out that the child custody provisions that are currently in place are not working. For those in Colorado who feel that a child custody change is needed, it may be time to schedule a consultation with a family law attorney to discuss whether a modification request is a necessary course of action.

Source:

The Huffington Post, “3 Ways to Reinvent Your Holidays After a Divorce“, Michela Montgomery, Nov. 8, 2015