Can I Make My Ex Change Their Holiday Plans with Our Kids?

 Posted on October 16, 2023 in Divorce

Annual holidays are a time for family togetherness and a chance to make meaningful memories with loved ones. If the parents of a family have been through a divorce, this can change the holiday dynamic drastically. 

In some families, one parent is religious and offers a religiously-based holiday experience while the other parent is not religious and offers a secular holiday experience, which could make exes feel offended by the way their children are experiencing the holiday. In some families, one parent might have limited means and offer a modest celebration at home, and their ex could have exotic travel plans. In some cases, one of the parents might have a new significant other that they want to introduce to their children over a holiday, but the other parent might feel it is inappropriate to bring other people into their children’s holiday celebrations.

However the members of a family choose to celebrate a holiday, it can be an extremely anxious time for divorced parents who are trying to navigate this. If you are a divorced parent and you feel uncomfortable with how your ex is planning on spending a holiday with your children, a Naperville, IL divorce lawyer can help dispel confusion and guide you through this challenging time.

How Can We Resolve Arguments over Our Holiday Plans with Our Children?

There are several reasons a divorced parent might wish to contest their ex’s holiday plans with their children, such as:

• Travel: If one parent can provide the children with a modest family celebration at home but the other tends to take the children on exotic trips to vacation spots with nice hotels, this can be a major source of tension.

• Gifts: One parent might give the children extravagant gifts often. If the other parent does not have equal financial means, they might worry the children will prefer their ex.

• Introducing others to the children: Parents generally have some control over the adults that are in their children’s lives. But once they are divorced, the ex-spouses could start dating other people. If one parent is planning to include their new significant other to their children as part of their holiday plans, the other parent might be uncomfortable with this. If their ex got remarried, there would at least be some sort of guarantee that the new spouse would be around for a while. But parents might not want their children to grow attached to the other parent’s boyfriend or girlfriend and then feel abandoned if the relationship does not last.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a DuPage County, IL Divorce Lawyer

If you are a divorced parent and you are uncomfortable with how your ex is planning to spend an upcoming holiday with your children, a Naperville, IL divorce attorney can explain your options. Our team has experience reaching resolutions to complicated issues. Call Pesce Law Group, P.C. at 630-352-2240 to schedule a free consultation.