Christmas Contact Arrangements For Separated Parents

Whilst Christmas is undoubtedly one of the most special times of the year, it can also be a very stressful experience for separated families.  Unless arrangements are made in good time, parents often become embroiled in heated arguments about who will have the children over Christmas.  This will also have an impact on the children which nobody wants.

To avoid this happening here are some top tips for the Christmas period:

  1. Plan ahead – you need to have the discussions as early as possible to ensure that everybody is agreed and on the same page by the time Christmas comes around.  Leaving anything to the last minute will make it needlessly more stressful.
  2. Don’t involve the children – even if the situation is acrimonious, try to show a united front to the children.  Let them see that that as parents you have made a decision together for their benefit.  Do not ask the children to decide.  No child should have to choose between their parents and this will only upset them and you.
  3. Try to see it from the other parent’s point of view – as much as you want to spend every second of Christmas with your children, their other parent will be feeling exactly the same.  Try to remember Christmas is a special time for everyone and so some compromises will need to be made.  The children will also want to spend time with both parents so bear that in mind.
  4. Stay positive – children will revel in the magic of Christmas regardless of what particular day you spend with them.  Two Christmases with two families = two sets of presents! An added bonus for the children for sure!

 

What happens if you can’t reach an agreement?

It’s not always possible to agree on arrangements.  If you find yourself in this situation here are your options:

  • Legal advice – if all options have been exhausted and you cannot agree matters between yourselves, it may be time to take expert advice from a family lawyer.  They can advise you on what a realistic plan would be and can write to the other parent to try and reach an agreement.  Professional letters do carry weight and sometimes this can help reach a resolution swiftly.
  • Mediation – you should always consider mediation as a means of reaching a resolution.  Trained mediators can help parents improve their communication and come to a swift conclusion.  If an agreement is reached at mediation then parents can simply follow the agreed plan.  This can also be useful as future Christmas plans, along with other holid