By Newtown and Doylestown Custody Lawyers
The holiday season is just around the corner. Many families celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and other holidays at the end of the year. Naturally, parents want to be with their children during the holidays. For example, they want to wake up with their children every Christmas morning. Unfortunately, not all parents can do so because they are divorced or separated. Due to divorce or separation, children are only able to wake up to one loving parent on Christmas morning. Therefore, it is crucial to set a holiday custody schedule which allows children to spend the holidays with each parent.
As Doylestown custody attorneys, we have seen many types of holiday custody schedules. Some holiday custody schedules are part of a custody order. Some holiday custody schedules are not part of a custody order. These types of informal holiday custody schedules are better suited for parents who are on good terms for many years and can continue to cooperate with each other to agree on a fair arrangement.
Whether a holiday custody schedule is part or not part of a custody order, there are different factors to consider. One of those factors is to ensure that there are definitive, clear terms of the schedule.
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Having Definitive Terms in a Bucks County Holiday Custody Schedule
We always recommend that the terms of the holiday custody schedule should be specific and not be ambiguous. If the holiday schedule is part of a custody order and there is a disagreement between the parents during the holidays, it is very difficult to get the court to settle the dispute before the holiday is over, and there is often little recourse for the party who may miss out on this cherished holiday time with their children.
An example of a term that should be definitive in a holiday custody schedule is the specific starting and ending time for each parent’s custody during the holiday in order to avoid disputes. If both parents agree that the child will spend Thanksgiving dinner with one parent, when does dinner start? Does it start at 4 p.m. or 6 p.m.? How about Christmas Eve? If a parent is supposed to have custody of a child on Christmas Eve, when does it start? 5 p.m.? 7 p.m.?
Another definitive term that should be included in a holiday custody schedule is transportation/travel. Who will provide transportation? Will one parent take the child to the custodial parent for the holiday or vice versa? It is important to specify transportation so that there is no delay to the start or end time of the holiday custody schedule.
Having a well-thought out holiday custody schedule prevents headaches, disputes and stress during the holidays. It is important to have a Doylestown, Bucks County custody lawyer help you plan a holiday custody schedule. We have extensive experience in Bucks County custody cases and can advise you on your best options for dealing with holiday custodial time.