If you see difficulty on the horizon regarding parenting time during the holidays, you are certainly not alone. The holiday season is notoriously the most difficult time of the year for divorcing parents (as well as parents who are newly separated). Because of this, old traditions are apt to be broken because families will be different. When this happens, time with children appears to be precious, and parents are sometimes not willing to compromise on where the kids will be.

For parents in this position, it is important to plan for the holiday season like retailers do. It shouldn’t surprise you to find a holiday circular in your newspaper or mailbox, even though Black Friday is weeks away.

The benefit of planning is twofold. First, talking about your issues now gives you some room to seek help in reaching a resolution. Perhaps a parenting time coordinator can help in creating a plan. For those who have court orders and need a temporary change, a parenting time expeditor may help in defining what is allowed as far as changes are concerned.

Second, you also have the opportunity to seek court intervention (and possibly receive a decision) before the holidays occur. Courts commonly do not have time to address emergency motions on the eve of Thanksgiving or Christmas, and depending on the court’s docket, your issue may not even be addressed before the holidays.

As such, it is worth talking to an experienced family law attorney about holiday parenting time and what should be done to protect your rights.

Source: HuffingtonPost.com, “How to communicate with an ex after a messy divorce,” October 22, 2013