You don't need to be a family law or divorce attorney to know that managing child custody schedules and arrangements can sometimes be a challenge. This is perhaps most true when dealing with holidays—those special occasions for which parents have to set up an equitable schedule of who gets the kids on which dates. Here’s what you need to know about how to come to mutually agreeable solutions when determining holiday custody arrangements.

The Options

When making these decisions, it's important to understand all of your options and to discuss each one thoroughly with your ex. There are three main possibilities divorce attorneys advise their clients to consider. Some parents opt to split holidays in half; half the day the kids spend with one parent and the other half with the other parent. Other families alternate holidays with the kids; one year, one parent gets the kids for all or specific holidays, while the next year, the other parent does. Another option some families find beneficial is to assign fixed holidays; for instance, you get the kids every year for Christmas and New Year's, and your ex gets them every Thanksgiving and Easter.

Tips for Finding the Right Solutions

There are a variety of ways to approach the matter of holiday schedules. A few tips that can make this process easier include:

• Making the Kids Part of the Conversation: If you have older kids, they may have clear preferences as to which parent they want to be with over the holidays; get their input and include them in your planning.
• Collaborating With Your Ex: To come to decisions that are amenable to both you and your ex, it will be necessary to work together in the spirit of collaboration; this means that compromise and give-and-take will need to happen, and civility will be essential to maintain discussions.
• Remaining Flexible: Know that a holiday here or there may need you to be flexible; your ex might want to switch things around to accommodate their schedule or a special holiday event, so try to be reasonable and aim to equally share parenting time.

By bearing the above considerations in mind, you can make the best decisions for your kids and their holiday celebrations. If you're involved in a custody matter, let family and divorce attorney Jeff Hensley at Hensley Law Office provide you with the necessary legal support. For over 25 years, he has been representing Greenup County, KY, in family law cases, personal injury lawsuits, workers' compensation claims, and other legal matters. Call (606) 836-3117 or visit him online to schedule an appointment with a divorce attorney today.