Knowing how to handle the holiday season following a divorce

With the holiday season setting in, you may be spending your time making a list of gifts to purchase for loved ones and making travel plans to visit family and friends. However, if you and your spouse have decided to part ways, you may be approaching this time of year with somewhat less enthusiasm, especially if you have children.

When kids are involved, knowing how to handle the holidays with two separate households can be an intimidating task. Since the well-being of your children is likely a high priority, you may be in search of guidance on ways to meet their needs while reducing the stress of making holiday plans.

Preparing for the holidays

While you might want to spend as much time as possible with your children during the holidays, they may benefit the most if given ample access to both parents. Some tips that might help you understand how to meet their needs and protect their well-being during the holidays may include the following:

• Prior planning: Planning for the holidays in advance could help reduce the likelihood of conflict. As such, including the holidays in child custody negotiations could prove exceedingly beneficial.
• Flexibility is key: During the holiday season, plans may be subject to change, and being flexible and mindful of the possibility of change could reduce stress.
• Access to both parents: While your children are spending time with you, they may still wish to have access to the other parent, and allowing them to stay in touch via telephone can be vital to their well-being.
• Actions to avoid: Feelings of guilt can weigh heavily on children, and during the holiday season it might be advisable to shield them from feeling the need to choose whom to spend time with.

Since the prospect of entering the holidays following a divorce can be a stressful concept, seeking guidance on the changes you might face and how best to approach them could be in your best interests.

Where to turn for advice

No matter how you approach it, the end of a marriage will bring about change in the lives of everyone involved. For guidance on how to prepare for life after divorce, you could benefit from speaking to someone who is knowledgeable in the area. Seeking guidance from someone with experience in Colorado state divorce and child custody laws could help you become better prepared to pursue the most favorable outcome possible concerning the future of you and your children during legal proceedings.