5 Tips to Make Custody Visitation Easier During the Holidays

5 Tips to Make Custody Visitation Easier During the Holidays

The holidays are stressful for many parents, particularly those who have shared custody visitation with their children. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to make the process of arranging visits easier, especially if you’re dealing with an ex who isn’t easy to work with! Here are five tips for making the process more manageable.

1. Plan Ahead

You can stay on schedule and avoid getting stressed out when you plan. This can be especially helpful for parents with hectic holiday schedules or more than one child.

Planning is more than just ensuring you don’t miss your visitation date with your children; it also involves planning what activities you will do with them, what food they’ll eat, and so forth. This last part may sound silly, but it’s a good idea to plan for all these things before the visit so that everything goes smoothly and you can enjoy your time with your children in the present moment.

2. Consider Your Child’s Needs

Your child may be confused by the changes in routine throughout the holiday season. You can help ensure that they are comfortable and happy in this time of change by making extra time for your child to talk about their day, keeping an eye on how much screen time they are getting, and ensuring they are eating enough healthy food.

The holidays can be stressful for everyone involved, so you must have a plan of action if things don’t go as planned with custody visitation during the holiday season.

3. Make Time for Yourself

It’s essential to take time for yourself during the holidays. You want to stay relaxed and happy, and a stressed-out parent is unsuitable for your child. To do this, try some of these ideas:

• Get a massage or go for a walk/run. If you have time on your hands, these things can help keep your body and mind healthy so that you can be there for your child when they need it most.
• Do something creative! Create scrapbook pages with photos of the two of you together over the years, or bake cookies together—whatever works best with what’s available at home (or other locations). The point here is to spend quality time together while still relaxing in each other’s presence without pressure from outside sources like work schedules or family obligations.

4. Take Care of Your Mental and Physical Health

Regarding your mental health, it can be hard to remember that you are just as important as a child. It would help if you had time for yourself, your friends, and your family. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and setting aside regular time for relaxation.

Be sure you take care of yourself physically as well by making a point to get any medical check-ups completed before December if they haven’t been done already; if there’s any indication at all that something could be wrong with either parent’s physical well-being (such as high blood pressure), these issues must be addressed before entering into custody arrangements with children involved so that everyone remains safe during visits throughout the holiday season.

5. Consider Alternative Traditions and Take Time to Discuss Them with Your Child

While you may be willing to give up your annual family trip to the beach because of custody visitation issues, don’t forget that other traditions are also available. Take some time to discuss these options with your child, and try not to feel pressured into doing what you always do. You might find that alternative traditions help children feel more included in the holidays and less stressed about spending time with an ex-partner during the holidays. They can also help parents bond with their kids through new experiences and have a better relationship after the divorce or separation.

If you are looking for ways to make Christmas easier on everyone involved in custody arrangements this year, consider alternative traditions or even starting new ones!

Children Need Extra Consideration During the Holidays

During the holidays, children need extra consideration, and so do the adults in their lives. Children are more aware of their divorce than you may think. They want to be with both parents, but they may feel like they have to choose between them. They may be afraid of disappointing one parent or the other. And they worry about what their parents will think if they don’t get enough time with each other.

As a parent, you know that it’s essential that your child enjoy all the joys of Christmas without feeling stress or guilt over spending time with you or your ex-spouse. But when you’re trying to work out custody agreements and visitation schedules during this busy time of year, it can seem impossible to make everyone happy!

Custody visitation can be challenging for both parents and their children. It’s important to remember that it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience, though. You can make it easier on yourself (and your child) by planning and considering your child’s needs, taking care of your mental and physical health, considering alternative traditions, and taking time to discuss them with your child—and also by making sure you take care of yourself!

At Koleilat Law, we understand that the logistics behind custody visitations can be complicated. Our team of experienced family law attorneys is here to help guide you through this holiday season. Contact us today if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child custody agreements before the holiday season begins.