The holiday season is here, and creating new traditions during the holidays can be a great alternative to the old-fashioned odd/even year swap. Traditions are, after all, just something we’ve done before that we chose to do again. Rather than slavishly try to recreate the past in each house in alternate years, a divorce provides an opportunity to create new traditions that might be better for children.
Of course, when divorced couples can attend holidays together without conflict, children might feel grounded, but in some families, holidays are filled with conflict even when there has not been a recent divorce, and that conflict is what hurts children.
The old-fashioned solution was to alternate the holiday with one parent having the children in odd years and the other in even years. Sometimes this can create a situation where children compare what they have and experience at one house versus the other.
By creating new traditions, like every Christmas eve in one house and every Christmas day in the other, children can enjoy more uninterrupted family time and often feel safer and more grounded, knowing where they’ll be and what their holiday will look like. This can add a sense of security and prevent extra holiday stresses.
Other examples might include a picnic every Fourth of July with one parent, and fireworks with the other, or every Thanksgiving in one house and every Thanksgiving weekend in the other.
What’s important is that parents consider the needs of children first and collaborate creatively to create new and better traditions for their children in the future. Our fondest holiday memories are not the extravagant, costly things, but the simple and thoughtful time with family.
The holiday season provides opportunities for fresh starts, especially when going through a divorce. With open communication and new traditions, families can tackle separation challenges with creativity and compassion.
At The Law Collaborative Los Angeles we specialize in Consensual Dispute Resolution models such as Collaborative Law and mediation.
We offer clients complete services and support, bringing together experienced professionals from law, psychology, and finance to design a unique resolution that meets your goals and protects your interests.
Contact us today to see how we can bring peace to your family’s legal process.
Note: This information is general in nature and should not be construed as legal/financial/tax/or mental health advice. You should work with your attorney, financial, mental health or tax professional to determine what will work best for your situation.