While holidays and other school breaks may be highly anticipated by children and parents alike, they can also be a sore spot for newly divorcing parents who now realize this time will be divided. Parents can use divorce mediation in New York as a helpful resource to determine how to treat these special times. Divorce mediation in New York can help the parents make plans and avoid confusion well in advance of any such breaks.
The key to successfully mediating this issue is to properly plan. Parents should not be getting into heated debates about their children’s breaks that are right around the corner. Instead, they should meet during a time that is away from such breaks so that they can create a clear plan before they have certain expectations regarding these breaks. They should identify important holidays and other breaks that require them to make plans, including religious time periods and potential time periods for vacation.
Parents can then try to come up with a plan that will work for them and their children. They should pay particular attention to which holidays mean the most to them. For example, a person who is used to always celebrating Thanksgiving with all of his or her extended holiday may value this time more than Christmas. Parents may decide to have certain holidays and break periods each year or to alternate these holidays. In some cases, parents may be able to still celebrate certain holidays together in an amicable fashion or celebrate with the children twice on the same day. The core focus should be on helping to retain stability for the children and to focus on their best interests.
