Though the spooky season is coming to a close for this year, Halloween is a holiday that comes around every year. For your family, this may be a holiday that you have special traditions for and that you enjoy celebrating in fun and safe ways. While you, your kids and the other parent may have spent previous years trick-or-treating together, this year is looking different for numerous reasons, including your divorce.
If your final divorce decree is still far off, you may have time to come up with specific child custody terms regarding Halloween for future years. However, this year, you may need to find ways to compromise in hopes of allowing your children to have a fun time but also minimizing the chances of conflict between you and your soon-to-be ex.
Tips and tricks
Whether you and your spouse chose to divorce because you no longer get along or it was an amicable split for other reasons, it is important that you come up with a game plan for Halloween activities. If you think you could remain civil, it may be worthwhile for the children if all of you participate in any activities together. Though door-to-door trick-or-treating may not be an option this year, you could plan other festivities together.
If you think it better for the children to spend time with each of you separately for the holiday, it is still important to remain on the same page about what is happening. Some details to communicate about include the following:
- Make sure both of you know the plans for the evening, and if you are dividing up the day, make sure you know what time pick-up and drop-offs will occur.
- Talk about appropriate activities. Because this year poses health and safety risks outside the norm, large parties or gatherings may not be a good idea.
- Discuss costume ideas for the children. Sometimes, older kids will choose an age-inappropriate costume or something not in good taste, so it is wise for both parents to have veto power over costume ideas.
Though it may be more difficult this year than others to get through the Halloween holiday, it is still possible to have a good time.
Permanent arrangements
As your divorce case moves forward, you may want to incorporate more permanent Halloween arrangements into your custody and parenting plan. You may decide that each parent should get the kids on alternate years or that you should continue to split the holiday. The terms will depend on what you think is appropriate for your family. If you have concerns about the best way to divide parenting time on this and other holidays, you may want to discuss the matter with a Colorado attorney experienced in child custody matters.