How do Florida Parenting Plans Address Holiday Timesharing?

People whose parents divorced in the 1980s and 1990s probably remember that life settled into a rhythm, usually including living with Mom during the week and with Dad on the weekends, but that sparks always flew at Thanksgiving and Christmas, when extended family members visited, or when one parent wanted to take the children to visit out-of-town relatives during a holiday.  This is one of the major issues that Florida’s new parenting plans address. The parenting plan template has questions to address every school vacation, including winter break, Thanksgiving, and spring break. Parents can choose, as soon as they divorce, where the children will spend each holiday each year. For example, they can specify that, in odd-numbered years, the children will spend Thanksgiving break with Mom until Friday afternoon and then spend the rest of it with Dad, but in even-numbered years, they will be with Dad until Friday afternoon and then go to Mom’s house. Parenting plans even allow parents to allot certain times for children to stay with grandparents, and they can choose to grant certain holiday days to the grandparents.

In some ways, Thanksgiving is the simplest holiday to plan because it is always on a Thursday.  What about Christmas, which is always on the same date, but on different days of the week?  What about Hanukkah, which sometimes coincides with winter break and sometimes does not?  What about Islamic holidays, which, because the Islamic lunar calendar is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, vary not only by day of the week, but by month?  (For example, this year, both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha were during summer vacation. In 2000, Eid al-Fitr was between Christmas and New Year’s.) Florida’s parenting plans were made to be customized.  You can specify that each parent gets the children for four nights of Hanukkah, and that if it falls during a school week, each parent gets one non-school night of the holiday.

Ambiguity Breeds Conflict: Avoid Holiday Confusion with Alan Burton

It might sound like micromanaging, but the best way to avoid holiday stress is to make your parenting plan as specific as possible. Once your parenting plan is set, you can build your holiday plans around when the children will be with you, and when they will be with your ex-spouse. Contact Alan R. Burton in Boca Raton, Florida to discuss the holiday timesharing aspects of your parenting plan.

Though spending the holidays on the brink of divorce is not fun for anyone, there are some things you can do to ease the tension and to make it easier once you do file, including the following:

Make an agreement — If your spouse is aware that you want a divorce and you have both agreed to wait until after the holidays, lay certain ground rules for making the most of the holidays with your kids and families, such as avoiding insults and fighting.

Schedule solo parenting time — Though many holiday traditions involve the entire family together, the next year after the divorce, there will be the need for new traditions with each parent on his or her own with the kids. Trying out a tradition solo with your children will not only work to pave the way for the next year but can also allow you and your spouse some needed time separate from one another.

Spend time preparing for the divorce — Divorce is complicated and, once you file, you can face many different tasks and requirements. If you know you are going to file, you can begin slowly gathering financial records, figuring out your family’s debts and expenses, looking for alternative housing arrangements, if needed, and more. If you are unsure of where to begin, seek out guidance from a divorce attorney. Even if you are not ready to file for a couple of months, a lawyer can advise you of potential issues that may arise, including child custody or property division, and steps you can take while you are waiting out the holidays. This can make the actual process easier once you do file for divorce.

Call an Experienced Boca Raton Divorce Attorney Today

If you are thinking of pursuing a divorce around the holidays, you likely have a lot on your mind and are trying to preserve the joy of the season with your family. However, there is no harm in scheduling a free consultation with a highly experienced divorce lawyer to discuss your options and allow you to plan ahead. In many situations, having an initial meeting with an attorney can ease many of your concerns and fears as it can shed light on the divorce process and let you know that someone will be skillfully representing your rights and interests. Please call the law office of Alan R. Burton in Boca Raton today at 954-229-1660 for help.