Creating a Shared Holiday Visitation Plan for this Holiday Season

 The holidays are fun and exciting times of the year. If you happen to be separated or divorced from your spouse, the many holidays throughout the year can be quite stressful. Developing a holiday visitation plan may help you, your spouse and your child spend a more enjoyable holiday. An effective holiday visitation schedule is good for decreasing confusion and disagreements between parents as well as for your child to know where each holiday will be spent. A holiday schedule for visitation should have plans for every holiday including:

1. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day

2. Thanksgiving

3. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

4. Valentine's Day

5. St. Patrick's Day

6. Easter

7. Mother's Day and Father's Day

8. Halloween

9. State and government holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, President's Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Independence Day and Flag Day

10. Birthdays and religious holidays

Specifying each holiday in your plan helps eliminate the possibility of parental disputes and a good visitation schedule for holidays should have information including:

1. Where your child spends each holiday and who he or she spends it with;

2. Events and activities associated with each holiday (parties, gatherings, etc);

3. Dates, times and locations of holiday gatherings;

4. Information about transporting your child such as where and when exchanges are made;

5. Any visitation information about visits with family members and friends;

6. Information about what to do in an emergency; and

7. Information about what to do in case of an unplanned or unexpected event.

A shared holiday visitation plan or schedule is a good way to ensure that both parents know how holiday visitation works. Though shared parenting is not the easiest way to be a parent to your child, it does not have to be a miserable experience. Shared parenting during the holidays can and should be enjoyable. Developing an effective and working holiday visitation plan will help ease confusion and make holidays fun.

The holiday season is upon us and it should be a wonderful one. Creating a shared holiday visitation plan can help ensure that this year's holiday season is fabulous and enjoyable. Share the holidays with your family and make lasting memories for your child using an effective shared holiday schedule. Make a good holiday visitation plan to make the holidays amazing.