If you watch the Hallmark Channel and are annoyed with the “Countdown to the Holidays” that appears on every show, it should be a signal to you if you are embroiled in a custody or parenting time dispute.
It is time to plan for the holiday season.
So why is it important to plan now, even though Christmas is still just less than two months away?
Simply put, the longer a parent waits to address unresolved holiday parenting time issues, the less likely they will be resolved during the holidays, and the more likely that disputes will mar the season.
This could be tragic for both children and parents. After all, kids want to spend the holidays with both parents. Also, family court judges expect parents to share the holiday season; meaning that parents both should have an opportunity to share special moments with their children. This expectation extends to situations where no court order is in place as well.
Additionally, if you wait too long to schedule a motion, it may not be heard or resolved in time for the holidays. Family court judges are people too. They may have holiday plans of their own and may not be available for hearings just before Christmas, or New Year’s for that matter.
So if a difficult parent is being intractable during the fall, it is worth taking time to plan for the holidays, including a possible motion to establish parenting time, or to modify a court order.
For questions about the best ways on how to make sure you have parenting time during the holidays, an experienced family law attorney can help.