Co-Parenting on Thanksgiving

Holidays can be incredibly difficult for the recently divorced, and Thanksgiving is no exception. In the past, you may have enjoyed cooking and eating a delicious turkey dinner with your spouse and kids. But how can you celebrate this holiday if you don’t have custody of your children on Thanksgiving Day? Fortunately, there are a few options you can consider.

Sharing Thanksgiving

During the divorce process, it’s helpful for parents to develop a holiday visitation schedule along with their general parenting plan. After all, a solid child custody agreement can provide structure to your post-divorce life and keep your co-parenting arrangement amicable. However, if you have a good relationship with your ex, you may be able to share certain holidays for the sake of your child.

You can coordinate the following plans with your ex so that you can both celebrate Thanksgiving with your child:

• Bring the family together to share Thanksgiving
• Split the day in half so that your child can spend time with both of their parents
• One parent can have Thanksgiving Day while the other has Thanksgiving weekend

Making Alternative Thanksgiving Plans

Fortunately, you also have options if your ex isn’t keen on sharing or splitting custody this Thanksgiving. For example, you can host your own Thanksgiving dinner with your child before or after the holiday. You can even invite other friends and family members to your dinner event. This is a great way to keep your children involved with your side of the family.

The downside of this scenario is that you may not get to see your children on Thanksgiving Day. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to be alone!

Your alternative Thanksgiving plans can include:

• Having dinner with other family members
• Having a party with friends
• Traveling for the 4-day weekend
• Staying in and relaxing with a good book or movie

Preparing for Divorce? Need to Modify Your Child Custody Agreement? Schedule a Consultation Today

Preparing for your post-divorce life can be tricky without legal guidance. With so many important decisions to make, it’s easy to inadvertently agree to a condition that may not benefit you in the future. At Arnold Law Group, APC, our Fresno child custody attorneys can help you develop a child custody agreement that benefits your children and protects your parenting rights. If necessary, we can also help you seek a child custody modification that allows you to maintain a healthy relationship with your child.

Contact Arnold Law Group, APC at (559) 900-1263 to schedule a consultation.