Divorce is tough, especially during the holidays

When California parents decide they no longer wish to remain married, they are often concerned with how their decision will affect their children. Studies show kids fare best when parents make focused efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy and routine after divorce, especially regarding family customs and holiday celebrations. There are several things divorced parents can do to avoid custody stress during the holidays.  

It all starts with the co-parenting plan. Thankfully, such plans can be customized to fit a particular family's needs and post-divorce parenting goals. The court must approve parents' plans; however, there are no rules regarding how specific the terms of a court order can be.  

Parents who want to avoid custody stress during the holidays may choose to be very specific when writing out the terms of their parenting plan. It is often not enough to merely state that kids will spend Christmas, Thanksgiving or their birthdays with one parent or the other. Parents who want to keep stress levels as low as possible may also wish to include time schedules for special occasions, including facts like where kids will be picked up or dropped off and whether a particular holiday stay will extend through a weekend. A parent is not free to change an existing court order without a judge's approval.  

Holidays can be fun but are also often stressful, even for spouses who are not divorced. When divorce is added to the equation, things can get pretty messy if someone refuses to follow the rules. The good news is that there are support resources available to help California parents rectify such situations.