3 C’s to deciding where your child spends Christmas

Christmas is supposed to be full of fun, games and festive cheer however, for many separated parents it can bring up old memories and emotions. For couples who have recently separated, their first Christmas may be a very daunting and stressful time. It can be difficult to decide where your children will spend Christmas. 

There are many different options and these can mostly be made between yourselves without a Solicitors help. 

Here are the three C’s you should consider this Christmas when deciding on your plans:

1. Communicate – communication with the other parent is key. It’s important that you use your usual form of communication to discuss the options, whether this be direct or indirect. It’s also necessary that these discussions are had as early as possible as this leaves time to resolve any issues. It might be that you decide to have a non-negotiable schedule early on or you may wish to allow for things to change.
2. Compromise – it’s important that you are both willing to compromise to reach an agreement that suits both of you. This means different options and plans will need to be considered and you will need to listen to the other parent’s reasonings. We often see children spending Christmas day at mums and then Boxing day at dads, this means your kids will get two Christmases! 
3. Child’s views – if your children are old enough to have their own views, then it’s important that these are taken into consideration. However, the child should not be put under pressure to make the decision themselves but should know that their opinions are being listened to. The child’s views should be of utmost important, a breakdown in trust and communication between child and parent can be detrimental to a child’s upbringing!

Here at Taylor Bracewell we understand that support goes a long way, that’s why our team are here to help. Our experienced Family team are always happy to help and offer further advice, they can be contacted by calling 01302 341414 or 0114 272 1884 or you can fill out our online enquiry form. 

We have further articles on our website relating to separation and children, here are four that you may find helpful:

• Top 5 tips: Separation and your children 
• Top 10 tips: Discussing separation with your children
• The importance of a healthy childhood following separation

Everyone here at Taylor Bracewell would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.