Co-parents should plan ahead for a happy Halloween for their kids

On behalf of Johnson, Sclafani & Moriarty, Attorneys at Law posted in Child Custody on Thursday, September 28, 2017.

When you and your spouse were drafting your parenting plan during your divorce, you likely detailed how you would divide time with your kids during special days like Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays. However, you may not have considered how and where your little ones would celebrate Halloween.

If you haven’t planned how your kids can enjoy Halloween activities with both of you, now is the time to start. They and their friends are likely already discussing costumes, parties, school events and trick-or-treating.

One of the most stressful parts of divorce for kids, particularly in the beginning, can be not knowing which parent will be involved in their activities and where they will be spending special days of the year. While you may want them to feel like they have a say in the matter, don’t ask them to choose which parent they want to spend Halloween with. Let your children know that you have discussed it and that you both plan to make this Halloween a special one for them. There are a number of options, but here are a few.

The best case scenario for most kids would be to go trick-or-treating with both parents. If the two of you get along well enough to make that work without conflict, consider it. It’s only a few hours and it may be fun. It would also give the neighbors something to talk about.

Split up the night, with each of you taking turns going around your own neighborhoods or to a neighborhood party. Most kids won’t object to two chances to get candy.

Celebrate on two different days, with one parent taking them trick-or-treating, and the other one taking them to a party (or throwing one) a day or two earlier. The parent who’s not doing the trick-or-treating might also be the one who goes to the school or daycare Halloween festivities.
There are a multitude of ways to make the holiday fun for your kids. As always, let them enjoy their time with their other parent. Ask them to take and share pictures with you so that you can each be part of their other celebrations.

If Halloween becomes a time of conflict and you still have a few years of children’s Halloween events in your future, you may want to consider including the holiday in your parenting plan. Your Massachusetts family law attorney can help you do that.

Source: Huffington Post, “Halloween Trick or Treat Tips for Parents With Kids of Divorce,” Diane L. Danois, J.D., accessed Sep. 28, 2017