Managing child arrangements ahead of the festive period

Christmas time is a magical time for both parents and children alike. However, the stress of family dynamics can often remove some of the festive fun.

It is often the case that both parents want to spend the magical Christmas morning with their children, seeing them open their presents from Santa and checking if Rudolph has eaten his carrot.

Whether you are experiencing your first Christmas as a separated family, or you want to change your agreement from last year, our solicitors are here to help.

What are some of the most common issues with Christmas child arrangements?

Often, disputes come in thick and fast around child arrangements over Christmas time. One of the most common mistakes we see is people leaving arrangements until the last minute.

Last-minute child arrangements can create unnecessary conflict. Parents can feel rushed and emotions often run high when considering Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.

Additionally, parents mistakenly believe that they can ignore Child Arrangement Orders and create their own informal agreements over the Christmas period.

Any changes to an agreed-upon Child Arrangements Order can lead to a breach and potential enforcement proceedings.

We understand that parents want to treat their children wherever they can. However, gift rivalry between parents is more common than you’d think and can create unnecessary stress for everybody involved.

It is often the case that the child can pick up on the competition, which can create unease during the festive period.

Often, the rush to create fair agreements can lose sight of what your child will actually want.

Arrangements may see children being passed around multiple times during one day, ignoring any commitments they have with friends or who they would wish to spend the day with.

What are the solutions to these issues?

Oftentimes, having an open and honest conversation between parents can help ease some of the stress of the Christmas child arrangements.

Parents should always work with their children, in an age-appropriate way, to determine what their wants and needs are for Christmas.

If this is not an option, or has come to no avail, speaking with a solicitor can be a necessity.

A solicitor can facilitate mediation sessions between both parents to ensure that fair agreements are made with the best interests of the child at heart.

Should mediation not work, a solicitor can support individuals in court to create a Child Arrangements Order or amend a current Order to provide for Christmas.

It is important to remember not to leave this until December. It can take some time to iron out the kinks in an order. Therefore, it is imperative for parents to start considering this now.

Palmers Solicitors, supporting you with Christmas

Our talented solicitors are here to ensure that you and your children have a magical Christmas without the stress of child arrangements putting a dark cloud over the day.

We are here to support families with child arrangements so that Christmas is something that families can enjoy, not dread.

Get in touch with our team for support with child arrangements over Christmas.