While going through a separation or a divorce, many couples focus on the major school breaks and holidays. Many times, however, it is those smaller, “lesser” holidays that can also bring on disagreements and disputes. If these “lesser” holidays were important to your children before, they will continue to be so after you separate and/or divorce. Planning ahead can help your children continue to enjoy these holidays. When searching online for divorce helps, you can find a number of forms that may include these holidays and cause you to consider these as to how important they are to your children and your family and whether it is important to include these in your Decree. Halloween is one of these holidays. What will this look like now that you are no longer living under the same roof? What are the options?
- Alternate these holidays?
- Share the holiday?
- Go together? Or maybe,
- Create a new tradition?
Is the relationship between you and your ex civil and respectful or is there no way, under any circumstances, the two of you can be in the same place at the same time, most especially with your kiddos? If you are civil or even comfortable and pleasant around each other (lucky you!), Halloween together, where you can each help with the costume planning, creating and dressing prior to the trick-or-treating and trekking through the neighborhood or going to the local party together will make for a fun night for all. For other reasons , such as distance between houses, work schedules/demands, for example, perhaps the idea of sharing the holiday works for you where you can share in these activities, just not together. If going together and/or sharing the holiday won’t work, alternate the holiday each year. Remember, this one really is for the kiddos. Some people are even able to create their own new traditions (complements of the artsy one of you, Pinterest, or new neighborhood-school-church function). Whatever works best for your situation, plan ahead and these lesser holidays can be enjoyable for all. Happy Halloween!
