Co-Parenting Tips for the Holidays

Co-parenting is often hard, but when you add in the emotions, expectations, and memories regarding the holidays, things tend to get a lot more complicated. Fortunately, there are several co-parenting tips designed to help you navigate co-parenting through the holidays like a pro – or at least more steadily. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child custody orders, including the Illinois Allocation Judgment outlining parental responsibilities of decision-making and parenting time, an experienced Illinois child custody attorney is standing by to help. 

Adopt a Holiday Spirit

Even if your divorce was especially contentious and you and your ex find it difficult to speak to one another, the holidays are a great opportunity to call a temporary truce. It’s not a commitment to become best friends, but letting your ex know – through your actions and deeds – that you’re prepared to put your resentments away during the holidays can go a long way toward improving the co-parenting challenges you may be experiencing. And it will mean a lot to your kids. 

Get Organized

The holidays are nothing if not hectic, and it’s all too easy for wires to get crossed along the way. If you and your ex don’t have an effective calendaring system in place, it may be time to get yourselves hooked up with a parenting app, such as OurFamilyWizard, that allows you to easily share all the following:

• Work parties
• Family events on both sides that you each want your kids to attend
• School pageants, band recitals, practices, rehearsals, dance classes, and all the rest
• Parent-teacher conferences
• The school schedule, including early outs and vacation days
• Parties and events the children have been invited to

You can also coordinate your children’s wish lists between you – instead of encountering unpleasant surprises when your kids are tearing open their gifts.

Keep Realistic Expectations

You’re a parent, and you’ve done this before. You know that the holidays come with your children’s outlandish expectations and that some of them will – by necessity – be dashed. The same is true of your own. You want the holidays to be perfect, but it’s important to accept that despite your efforts, they’re not going to be perfect, and that’s fine. Fostering childlike wonder is great, but building flexibility into your expectations is key. 

Create New Traditions

You had traditions when you and your children’s other parent were together, and it’s just fine to hang on to as many of those that still feel right. Don’t, however, be afraid to mix things up and create some new traditions with your kids. This is an excellent chance to get creative with your children, and the sky’s the limit – within reason, of course. 

Seek the Skilled Guidance of an Experienced Illinois Child Custody Attorney Today

The practiced Illinois child custody attorneys at WARD FAMILY LAW, LLC, recognize how challenging co-parenting can be – especially during the holidays. We have the experience, legal skill, and compassion to help you effectively and efficiently resolve your child custody concerns, so please don’t wait to contact us for more information today.