Hi there,

This is the time of year when newly separated parents have to figure out how to handle time with the kids during Christmas and winter vacation. Even if this isn’t your first Christmas as a divorced family, there are still possibilities for change to past years’ plans, but it is never easy. If you haven’t reached an agreement for this time of year, you need to SOON.

One of the worst ways to end up handling this is to have to ask the court to decide for you. Many Massachusetts judges now have closed lists, which means if a certain number of cases are scheduled to come into court on a day that is deemed full, you will need to pick another motion day. Some judges are now scheduling in mid-January.

Remember also if the schedule for the first Christmas holiday is not really what you want, you can always discuss alternating the times next year. A holiday parenting plan where the holidays are equally important to both parents often works best by flipping year-to-year. That way the kids get to share with both parents, and they get to create new traditions, which will help everyone adjust and move on.

Best,

Nancy