The holiday season may be particularly hard to get through if you have to spend the majority of it alone. But this may ring true even more if this is the first time you will have to endure it as one part of a divorced couple. That is, as a single parent who must share time with their child. What may make this easier, though, is if you have a set plan in place and scheduled times that you can look forward to. So, without further ado, please read on to discover what kind of holiday child custody schedule you should negotiate and how a seasoned New York City child custody attorney at Zimmet Law Group, P.C. can work to ensure it is fair and realistic for all parties involved.
What holidays should I include in my child custody schedule?
It may be unattainable, and frankly unnecessary, to make custody arrangements for every last federal or religious holiday during the calendar year. But at the very least, you may want to include the ones that hold importance to you and that you typically, formally observe. With that being said, the most common holidays included in a child custody schedule read as follows:
- New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
- Easter, Passover, or Ramadan.
- Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
- Memorial Day and Memorial Day Weekend.
- The Fourth of July and Fourth of July Weekend.
- Labor Day and Labor Day Weekend.
- Halloween Day.
- Thanksgiving Day.
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, or Hanukkah or Kwanza.
Aside from federal and religious holidays, it is also worth considering holidays personal to you, your former spouse, and your shared child. For example, you may want to include your shared child’s scheduled spring, summer, and winter breaks from school. Or, you may want to reference yours, your former spouse’s, and your shared child’s birthdays.
What type of holiday child custody schedule should I establish?
Essentially, there are three models for holiday child custody schedules: rotating, fixed, and split. Firstly, a rotating schedule means you and your former spouse will alternate who gets your child on a given holiday. Secondly, a fixed schedule has you and your former spouse assigned to specific holidays always. Lastly, a split schedule has your child spend time with both you and your former spouse on a given holiday.
As an example, with a rotating schedule, you may get your child on Christmas Day on even years (i.e., 2024) while your former spouse has them on odd years (i.e., 2025). Or, with a fixed schedule, you may always get your child on Christmas Day while your former spouse always has them on Christmas Eve. Then, with a split schedule, you may get your child on Christmas morning while your former spouse has them on Christmas evening.
Ultimately, the type of schedule you pick should depend on your and your former spouse’s beliefs and traditions, work schedules, and physical proximity toward one another. But most importantly, it should be based on your child’s best interests. In conclusion, before entering the legal arena, you must retain the services of one of the competent New York City matrimonial and family law attorneys. Reach out to Zimmet Law Group, P.C. today.
