Shared parenting arrangements at Christmas time need not add stress to this busy period. As with all things this time of year, it takes some planning.
If you have been able to manage end of year celebrations, concerts, and assemblies, it is time to turn your mind to Christmas Day parenting arrangements.
Christmas time is an important time for families, and should be a joyful time for children. With careful planning children can spend Christmas time with parents, extended families, and other significant people in their lives.
Parenting plans and court orders can set out an arrangement for the time children spend with parents over the Christmas period, overriding usual parenting arrangements. An example of such an arrangement would be for the children to spend Christmas Eve to Christmas morning with one parent, and Christmas Day lunch time to Boxing Day with the other parent.
It is important to consider what arrangement would make Christmas Day enjoyable for the children. Perhaps the children would be happier not travelling between houses during Christmas Day, and would prefer to spend all of Christmas Day with one part of their family, and have an alternate “Christmas Day” with another part of their family at a different date. Another option would be for the children to spend Christmas Day with one parent whilst having time set aside to call the other parent.
Whichever parenting arrangement is decided upon, it is important that all factors particular to each family has been considered and that the children receive a positive response to the decided parenting arrangement from both parents.
Swan Family Lawyers would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Our office will be closed from 5.00pm Friday 21 December 2018 until 9.00am Monday 7 January 2019.
Do not forget to register for our upcoming Relationship Breakdown Seminar on Wednesday 9 January 2019 at 5.00pm to start the new year off understanding what your divorce options are.