Divorce can change many aspects of your life,including the time you get to spend with your children. Courts often award joint custody of children to the parents in accordance with South Carolina law, which means your child will spend part of their time physically with you, and part of their time physically with their other parent. This usually means that you will have to share time with the other parent over the holidays.

Many of us have holiday traditions we share with our kids, such as traveling to see grandparents or waking up early on Christmas morning to open presents. The reality is that joint custody may make some of these traditions impossible. The following are some tips regarding how to handle shared custody during the holiday season:

  • Refer to your parenting plan – Your plan should carefully dictate the details about how you and your ex-spouse will share custody, including during the holidays. Deciding this in advance and having it in writing can reduce the chances of disputes and conflict as the season approaches.
  • Inform the other parent about travel plans – If your schedule will allow time for travel, be sure to keep your ex-spouse informed of your plans. Some parenting plans require you to get permission to travel outside the state with your child, so make sure you abide by such provisions.
  • Make new traditions – Instead of being sad or angry about losing certain tradition with your children, take the opportunity to make new ones. Many people fully enjoy the holidays while sharing custody, and you can, too.

Contact Our South Carolina Family Law Attorneys Today

At the Fender Law Firm, we know how important parenting plans and custody determinations are for the future of your family. To discuss any concerns regarding divorce, custody, or other family law matters, call out office at 843.379.4888 or contact us online.

Addison Addison

Addison Dowling Fender

At the Fender Law Firm, my wife Tracy and I are keeping alive the Fender/Dowling tradition of providing honest and effective legal services to our clients.