The holiday rush is a major stressor for divorcing couples. The sentimental spirit all around makes it doubly challenging to strike a balance in parenting time. But if done in a way that caters to both parties’ varying needs and the child’s best interests, it can be a joyous time after all.
Holidays in New Jersey
Even the most amicable divorces run into disagreements when navigating through parenting time schedules during the holidays. To address such disputes, New Jersey family courts devised a standard structure for parenting time schedules during the holidays, which consists of the following elements:
- Holidays included are New Year’s Eve and Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Labor Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Eve and Day.
- Holidays outweigh vacations and other normal residential schedules.
- Holidays alternate for both parties each year.
- Holidays run from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Each party must also consider special holidays, such as Halloween, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays and Jewish holidays, if applicable.
There are a lot of considerations in creating a holiday parenting plan because shared family traditions, religious beliefs and diverse social needs according to your child’s age may all come into the mix. It is imperative for both parents to maintain open channels for dialogue to prevent miscommunication.
Further, to avoid any violation of the court-approved parenting time schedule, both parents must mutually respect each other. They must honor the plan through constant updates of crucial details regarding itineraries, transportation needs, and pickup points and times.
Give and take season
As family dynamics and circumstances rarely stay the same, modifications are inevitable. You may quickly lose control of the situation and find yourself not having enough time with your child. To uphold fairness and ensure you are compliant with all provisions of the plan, you must seek the guidance of a child custody legal counsel.
