A stroll at your local Walmart or Publix near Thanksgiving will reveal great deals on turkeys, apple pies, cake, and all the delicious foods associated with the holiday. It is also a holiday to embrace family and friends for being in our lives and sharing life experiences together for a special night.
Yet, Thanksgiving continues to Typically, a parenting plan established during a divorce or paternity proceeding to determine the parent’s visitation rights and to form a visitation schedule. By including Thanksgiving, parents can often avoid the stresses involved of whether the child(ren) will be with one parent or the other.
However, if the parents are not able to coordinate Thanksgiving during these proceedings, parents can strive to create alternatives in an effort to comfort the child(ren) during the holiday. Here are a few suggestions:
Review the parenting plan agreement to establish which parent will have the child(ren) in advance. In doing so, the parent who has the child(ren) for the holiday can coordinate with the non-custodial parent to split the time with the child(ren).
For example, one of the parents could make it fun by having a Thanksgiving Brunch followed by fun activities and then allow for the non-custodial parent to have the child(ren) in the evening hours for a more traditional setting.
If feasible, the parents could coordinate having a joint dinner for the children’s sake and to enjoy the time together as a family. However, if the divorce was highly contentious, it is better to respect the rights and designations of times as established in the parenting plan.
If you are contemplating on filing a divorce involving minor children or need more information on changes to your timesharing plan, let the experienced attorneys at The Orlando Family Firm help you. Please contact us for a consultation at (407) 377-6399.
