If you are recovering from Thanksgiving battles with your soon to be ex-spouse or significant other over parenting time (or parenting styles) the upcoming holiday season is probably something you are not looking forward to. The holiday season can bring out the best in people, with the commitment to giving and selflessness being a common theme. However, it can also bring out the worst in people, as the level of narcissism can be stunning.
This can certainly bring out the holiday blues. If you find yourself in this position with regard to securing parenting time, this post will highlight some helpful tips.
Think beyond the obvious – You should expect your ex to say or do things serve their own needs, often at your expense. For instance, a parent may insist that they have Christmas Eve with the kids just to get your goat. To counter this, you can plan a gift giving party for the weekend (since Christmas falls on Friday this year). This can certainly be more fun than wallowing by yourself on Christmas Eve.
Create new traditions – In the same vein, new traditions can be borne out of forced chances. So if you are forced to share Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, make sure that you create a new tradition when the kids are with you.
Know your order – Most arguments can be avoided, or resolved, by knowing what your divorce decree or custody entails. Indeed, there should be some flexibility in your order, and how much is certainly up for debate. But knowing how to resolve or avoid these disputes is key in having a good holiday season.