The Christmas season can be tough for divorced parents and their children. The children may want to see both parents, and both parents may want to have the children at their home on Christmas morning, but it’s often just not feasible with a child custody schedule that splits that custody time between each parent.
There are options that parents can use, such as each one getting half of the day with the children or simply having a Christmas celebration at one home before the actual holiday. However, some parents opt to have a joint Christmas celebration where the whole family is together. Is this a good idea?
This can be great if you can make it work
Overall, this can be an excellent solution for the children. They love both parents and want to see everyone together on such a special day, they don’t have to spend time in the car in the middle of the day, and they get the magical experience that they’re hoping for.
The problem simply lies in whether or not the parents can make it work. If you and your ex cannot get along and remain civil in front of the children, then you just add a layer of stress to the holiday that is detrimental to them. At the same time, you may want to consider the children’s own perspective. Some children hope that their parents will get remarried after divorce, and you don’t want to give them false hope by spending this day together if there’s no chance of that happening.
Overall, you simply have to think about the specifics of your situation and what will be best for your family. You also need to make sure you know all about your parental rights and your custody rights when discussing your options with your ex.