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Thanksgiving & Your Child Custody Arrangement

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that celebrates the concepts of “family” and “togetherness.” In years past, you probably enjoyed a hearty, home-cooked turkey dinner with your spouse and children. But how can you celebrate or reinvent these holiday traditions once you’re divorced? Fortunately, you can still celebrate this holiday with your family even if you don’t have custody of your children on Thanksgiving Day.

The Holiday Visitation Schedule

It’s important for parents to develop a holiday visitation schedule during child custody negotiations. This schedule usually has priority over the residential schedule and gives structure to your post-divorce life. For example, one parent can have the kids on Thanksgiving Day, while the other has custody rights over the holiday weekend. Or, if divorced spouses have an amicable relationship, they can share the day for the sake of their child. This is a rare scenario, but many parents (depending on feasibility) have been able to split Thanksgiving Day so their child can celebrate with both parents.

But what if you can’t celebrate on Thanksgiving Day?

Reinventing Thanksgiving

Fortunately, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to Thanksgiving. Even if your custody schedule doesn’t line up the way you want it to, you can still celebrate this holiday with your children. You may just need to get a little creative. If your ex has custody on Thanksgiving Day, you can host your own dinner the weekend before or after. Everyone loves a feast, so don’t hesitate to also invite friends and family members you may not normally see to your Thanksgiving soirée.

Protect Yourself by Staying Away from Social Media

It’s hard to spend Thanksgiving Day alone. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to go online and look at pictures of friends and loved ones celebrating with their families. Instead of plunging yourself into depression, use this day off as an opportunity to relax and indulge in a little self-care. Maybe you can binge-watch a TV show or finally crack open a book you’ve been meaning to read. If you have a 4-day weekend, maybe you can travel and escape the normal humdrum of daily life.

Require Divorce Representation or a Child Custody Modification?

Part of the divorce process is preparing for your post-divorce life. However, it can be difficult to think of your future needs when you have so many immediate decisions to make. If you’re preparing to file for divorce, contact the Louisville divorce lawyer at the Law Office of Todd K. Bolus, PLLC. We can guide you through each step of this legal process and help you develop a custody plan that benefits your children. If you require a child custody modification, our attorney can litigate your case before a judge.

Rely on 25+ years of legal experience. Contact the Law Office of Todd K. Bolus, PLLC at (502) 272-9596 to schedule a consultation.