Just Treats – No Tricks, Divorce Tips

2017 UPDATE:

Halloween 2017 is on a Tuesday this year!  Read your divorce decrees and start working out your plan, if you can!

I couldn’t resist the Halloween title.  But, all Halloween joking aside, getting divorced is hard.  Being a divorced parent is hard.  But, being a divorced parent doesn’t have to be a horrible, horror movie or haunted house.  There are some things to remember to make it easier on you and your kids – without any tricks.

Put Your Kids First

It is totally understood that you and your ex will have some areas of disagreement during and after your divorce.  But, remember that disagreement is between the two of you.  It isn’t between your kids and the other parent.  As much as it depends on you, put your differences aside when it comes to your kids.  Be flexible, if you can, so that your kids get to be with both parents.  If it is a Halloween party or trick or treating, try to work it out for your kid’s sake.  One example I’ve had clients discuss, is alternating neighborhoods for trick or treating – one year at this parent’s neighborhood and the next year at the other one.  This is really good when the kids have friends in both neighborhoods or the parents purposefully live close to each other.

Agreements

Also, remember that you two can agree to a possession schedule that works for you and not the Standard Possession schedule.  For example, if Tuesday night is the best choice right now – see if you and your ex can agree to that night instead of Thursday.   If you have Standard Possession, you probably also have a paragraph that says that you if both agree to make a change, you can do that.  If you don’t have an agreement on a change, Standard Possession applies.  So, remember that as your kids grow up and their interests and activities change.  You might find that what worked 4 years ago, doesn’t work and that you guys can talk it out and change a few things.

If you’re talking about bigger changes, I recommend seeking out some good family law advice from an experience lawyer.

For all your family law and divorce questions, call to make an appointment with Jill O’Connell, 940-497-5454