Helping Children of Divorce Through the Holiday Season
For children who are part of a family where divorce has occurred, the holidays are filled with many emotions and may be hard to navigate through.
Here are some suggestions to help your children get through the holiday season:
- Don’t ignore the emotions that they are feeling due to the divorce
- Be willing to listen without judgment
- Don’t speak negatively about your ex in front of your kids
- Discuss holiday plans without your children in earshot
- If you and your Ex are on good terms, consider inviting your ex to an event where the family can enjoy the holidays together
- Showing a united front in parenting creates a sense of a stable environment
- Make new traditions; embrace that the holidays will be different
- Let your children have a voice in the holiday planning
- Keep consistent with routines – consistency is grounding for children to feel stable
- Build-in downtime – don’t pack your schedule with non-stop holiday events
- Be sensitive to the fact that your children may be feeling guilty for spending time away from the other parent
The holidays are not about finding the perfect Facebook moment to post on your profile. The holidays are about making new connections with your children; not about the presents they receive.
Our team of experts can help you and your spouse create a holiday custody plan that is mutually agreeable for everyone, including your children.
The Collaborative Practice of San Diego is a nonprofit, multi-disciplinary referral network of independent professionals of attorneys, mental health professionals and financial advisors working together to learn, practice, and promote Collaborative processes for problem solving and the peaceful resolution of family law issues in regard to co-parenting, with an eye toward preserving the emotional, as well as the financial assets of the family.
Contact us today to learn how to develop a custody plan for the holidays that help make to your holidays memorable!
Note: This information is general in nature and should not be construed as legal/financial/tax/or medical advice. You should work with your attorney, financial, mental health professional or tax professional to determine what will work best for your situation
