As the holidays quickly approach, it’s important to have your child visitation schedule worked out. Making sure there is a plan in place will help ease the tension of the holidays and ensure you don’t have to constantly negotiate with your ex over which holiday will be spent where.
State’s Recommendations for Child Visitation During Holidays
Each state has its own visitation recommendations for holidays. Still, parents typically rotate major holidays such as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. Usually, a child, or children will spend days such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with their respective parents. When visiting out of state parents, or parents that live further away, the scheduled time is adjusted to compensate for any time spent traveling to an from.
Child Visitation During Extended Vacation Time
For extended vacation times, such as Christmas or Hanukkah vacation, or summer breaks, time is typically divided evenly between the parents. So for example, one parent will take the first half, and the other parent will take the second half of the break.
When to Decide on Holiday Child Visitation Plans
Holiday visitation schedules often take precedence over the standard weekly schedule. And sometimes the holidays will disrupt the standard schedule It’s suggested that you plan the holiday schedule early in advance and clearly, as to avoid any confusion. It’s also important to keep a record of the schedule, so any questions or conflicts can be quickly resolved.
Even with a holiday schedule firmly in place, there may still be conflicts that arise. Working with a divorce and child custody attorney can help you handle any holiday visitation issues.
Source: WomansDivorce.com, Holiday Visitation Issues, 2014
33 S. Catalina Ave. Ste. 202
Pasadena, Ca. 91106
(626) 478-3550