The holidays are a time for family, friends, and loved ones. But for those who are divorced or going through a custody battle, the holidays can be anything but merry. If you’re struggling with how to co-parent successfully with your ex this holiday season, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Here are seven tips that can help make the season a little bit easier:
1. Communicate early and often: Communication is key when it comes to successful co-parenting during the holidays. Make sure to talk early on about expectations, scheduling, gifting preferences and more – this will help keep everyone in agreement throughout the season. If communication is difficult with your ex, make sure to adhere to any court ordered custody agreements especially during holidays. if necessary, consult with an attorney to make sure that any agreement is enforced and that your rights as a co-parent are respected. In the absence of any pre-defined divorce or separation agreements, an attorney may be required to ensure that your custody rights as a parent are enforced under the Texas Family Code.
2. Remain flexible: Despite careful planning, things can still go wrong during a holiday season spent co-parenting or negotiating custody arrangements with an ex-spouse. Remain open to new solutions and be willing to compromise if needed – it’ll help make the season a lot less stressful.
3. Respect your ex’s family traditions: Even if you don’t agree with them or partake in them yourself, respect your ex-spouse’s family traditions around the holidays – this includes not speaking negatively about them in front of their children or other family members.
4. Agree on gift giving: Gifts should be given thoughtfully and without any strings attached. Make sure that both parties are in agreement when it comes to gifting, and remind each other of your decisions throughout the season so there are no surprises come Christmas Day.
5. Have an “open door” policy: If you’re having guests over for the holidays, make sure to have an “open door” policy. This means that your ex-spouse’s family and friends are welcome as well – this will help create a sense of inclusivity during the holiday season.
6. Use a co-parenting app to develop a custody plan that works best for you and your ex-spouse during the holidays. There are several apps on the market that allow both parents to view, modify, and agree on parenting plans that can be customized to fit each family’s unique situation. Look for apps that offer key features like calendar sync, messaging between parents, expense tracking, and secure document storage. By using these apps as a tool for co-parenting with your ex, you can create an effective holiday schedule for all involved without having to go through multiple court appearances or lengthy litigation.
7. Put your children first: Above all else, keep in mind what is best for your children – they should be at the center of every decision you make when it comes to co-parenting or negotiating custody arrangements. Keep their happiness and well-being top priority throughout the season. Texas divorce laws assign great importance to the well-being of the child in a co-parenting situation. The family code states that parents must provide for the best interests of the child, and respect their right to contact with both parents. Respect these laws and make sure that you’re making decisions with your ex that reflect what’s best for your children.
By employing these seven tips, Texas couples can navigate divorce laws and co-parent successfully with an ex-spouse this holiday season. Despite what may seem like a difficult situation, Texas divorce laws exist to protect your rights and those of your children – keep this in mind when co-parenting during the holidays. With these tips in hand, you’ll be sure to have a successful holiday season despite any custody battle or divorce proceedings.
However, if you find you need support enforcing an agreement or help determining your rights as a co-parent during the holiday season or in general, feel free to reach out to us at Alexandra Geczi, PLLC. We’re a law firm focusing on divorce for women in Dallas, Collin, and Denton counties. Our attorneys have over 15 years of experience exclusively handling divorce and family law cases. We apply a collaborative approach to our cases in which we try to work with your spouse’s attorney to avoid lengthy court battles opting instead to settle cases out of court through negotiation, mediation, or collaborative law. Our deep family law expertise, knowledge of the area’s courts, and good working relationships with other attorneys ensure optimal outcomes for our clients while avoiding expensive litigation.