Your child custody agreement most likely contains a holiday schedule for major holidays that involve vacation time or days off from school. One-night holidays, like Halloween, often go overlooked. If these holidays are a big deal for your child, it is important to have a plan for everyone to enjoy the holiday even if the family dynamic has changed.
Consider these tips when managing one-night holidays:
Split-up activities: One parent takes the child to pick out the costume, and attends earlier festivals or events, while the other takes the child trick-or-treating
Create new traditions: Pumpkin carving or watching scary movies on an alternative night to provide the same level of bonding for each parent
Be flexible: when holiday celebrations are too structured, children may feel left out or lost in the shuffle. Model good behavior by focusing on your child’s needs and being open to suggestions and changes where it benefits them.
Co-parenting might not always be easy, but by prioritizing your family and keeping open conversations with your co=parent, it doesn’t have to be frightening! Wishing you and yours a Happy Halloween!
Going through something as stressful and emotional as divorce can leave deep scars that take years to heal. It can also leave you very vulnerable.
When Alan Frisher found himself immersed in an adversarial, highly litigated divorce, he discovered how certain systems can target and take advantage of vulnerable individuals like himself. “My divorce cost me ten years of my life, my loving and caring relationship with my three children, and hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Alan shared with Lori Barkus of Sustainable Family Solutions.
Alan utilized this time to gain his designation as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, and wrote the book, “Divorcing the System,” which describes his experience with the divorce system in Florida. “We educated the State Legislators that there is a real need for change and continue to lobby for change even to this day,” Alan said, talking about the two bills he tried to push through State Legislature. One was focused on Permanent Alimony,
Alan suggests that people in his position:
Learn about the process
Speak to professionals in the field
Keep lines of communication open
Allow for negotiation
Keep your children in mind
Try mediation before litigation
As a Financial Advisor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Alan is able to guide people through the financial challenges of Divorce. Learn more about Alan at SageMoney.com.
“You are entitled to be happy, but understand that happiness isn’t always easy to achieve and may not be free.”
Split-up activities: One parent takes the child to pick out the costume, and attends earlier festivals or events, while the other takes the child trick-or-treating
