Keeping The Holidays Bright-- 3 Tips For A Happy Post-Divorce Holiday Season For Your Children

Law Blog

If this is the first holiday season after a divorce, it will likely be very tough on your children. This happy time of year should not be marred due to the breakup of your marriage. Here are some things you and your former spouse can do to make the holiday season bright for your children:

Try to Get Along With Your Former Spouse

If you are going to be in contact with your former spouse during the holidays, one of the best things you can both do for your kids is try your best to get along with one another. Nothing ruins a holiday faster than parents who are constantly bickering back and forth. Try to keep your words to each other kind and non-confrontational.  Do whatever you can to keep conflict out of the holiday celebration. The goal is to create a happy, festive time for your children.

Have a Concrete Plan, but Be Willing to Be Flexible

Another tip is to make all of your holiday plans well in advance so that everyone is on the same page. Having everything laid out and planned can help everyone transition into a new season of life. Communicate with your ex-spouse several months before the holidays to make sure that you are both spending equal time with the kids.

However, you should also be willing to be somewhat flexible even if you have made a solid plan for the holidays. You never know when something will come up. For instance, your former spouse may have a surprise visit from a family member who lives far away on a day when you have the kids. Be willing to adjust the plans accordingly so that your kids have a chance to see their extended family.

Create Some New Traditions

To help children transition from one household during the holidays to two, you should consider making a few of your own traditions that they will look forward to year after year. This will give them a sense of "home," especially if you and your former spouse carried out holiday traditions before the divorce. Come up with some new ideas just for you and the kids. You can build a gingerbread house, play board games with cups of cocoa, or cut down a live tree to decorate. Do whatever you can to make the holidays special when the kids are with you.

Holiday time can be tough on everyone after a divorce. If you find yourself without your children during the holidays, make sure to take care of yourself. Go stay with your family or make plans to spend the holidays with friends. It is important not to let yourself get down, or you could end up with really hard feelings during the holidays, which is not good for your kids.

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