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Straight Talk Legal Advice. Learn Your Options.
Serving Knoxville Since 1994
Flexible Appointments Upon Request
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How to avoid visitation conflicts on special occasions

On Behalf of | Apr 18, 2018 | blog | 0 comments

It’s a well-known fact that many families experience high levels of stress when special events or holidays take place. If you’re one of many Tennessee parents who are currently preparing for divorce, you’ll want to do whatever you can ahead of time to avoid potential conflict and stress down the line when it comes to your special occasion custody and visitation plan. Navigating the divorce process is seldom easy, and there’s no way to predict the future.

In fact, it’s impossible to know what to expect as you and your former spouse begin to carry out your newly forged parenting plan. However, by tapping into available support resources ahead of time, you can understand what options may be able to help you avoid major problems in the future.

Customize your family plan 

The good news is that you can design a system to fit your particular family’s needs. Like most good parents, you want to focus on what’s best for your kids as they adapt to a post-divorce lifestyle. The following ideas may be useful as you do your best to create a low-stress, special occasion plan for your family:

  • It’s generally best not to leave special events and holidays up for grabs when it comes to which parent will spend which days with the kids. By writing out a clear plan, including dates, times, pick-up and drop-off locations, etc., you may be able to prevent confusion and possibly ward off disagreements.
  • An option many Tennessee parents implement is to spend special events and holidays together after divorce. This provides children an opportunity to spend time under the same roof with both parents and also can cut down on the hassle of shuttling them back and forth when both parents want to see them on a particular holiday.
  • A willingness to compromise and cooperate can go a long way when your goal is to keep holiday stress levels low. If your former spouse plans to be with the kids for a particular occasion and requests a change in the plan, it can show the kids you have their best interests in mind when you both are willing to work out an amicable arrangement.
  • It’s crucial to remember, however, that you must adhere to the existing court order. If you think the order should be changed, it is important to go through proper channels.

Divorce undoubtedly brings changes to daily life, perhaps including your family customs and traditions. However, special occasions and holidays needn’t be full of gloom or doom just because your overall family lifestyle has changed. By coming together in a peaceful fashion to create a plan that is fair and agreeable to all involved, you can continue to build happy holiday memories with your children as they move forward in life following divorce.