New Hampshire parents who are going through a divorce may be feeling a bit anxious or worried about the holidays. Even in households where a marriage remains intact, the holiday season can be a stressful time of year. When a set of parents is navigating a child custody plan for the first time, numerous issues may arise that intensify stressfulness, not only for a concerned parent but for children, as well.
Co-parents can avoid child custody disputes during the holidays by incorporating terms of agreement into a court order. This places everything in writing and has the court’s approval, which leaves less room for confusion or arguments. If a particular issue raises legal questions, it is important for a parent to know where to seek additional support, at a moment’s notice.
Schedule holiday celebrations to avoid child custody disputes
While it might seem a bit superficial to write out a child custody plan that includes where children will open gifts or eat dinner for the holidays, minor details like this go a long way to help co-parents avoid conflict. Two parents might decide to split the hours of a single holiday event, so that children have breakfast or lunch at one parent’s house and dinner at the other. Then again, a family might decide that the kids will spend a whole week with one parent for a particular holiday, while staying as long with the other parent for a different occasion.
The point is to discuss holiday plans ahead of time and to put agreed-upon terms in writing. It is also best if both parents are willing to be flexible and cooperate if unexpected issues arise, such as a child or parent becoming ill. If a serious child custody issue occurs, such as one parent refusing to exchange custody at the agreed-upon time or denying children access to their other parent, etc., seeking a New Hampshire family court’s intervention might be the easiest way to obtain an appropriate solution to the problem.
