Sharing Child Custody Over the Holidays

The holiday season is a time for joy and bonding, but for families with shared custody agreements, it can also be a logistical puzzle.

Fortunately, Nevada’s law system offers many guidelines and legal frameworks to make the holidays smoother for everyone.

This post aims to help you negotiate and implement a fair, child-centric holiday schedule.

The importance of a well-structured holiday schedule

Traditions, festivities, and quality time with loved ones define the holiday season. These experiences are the building blocks of a child’s emotional and cultural identity.

A poorly planned or vaguely defined holiday parenting schedule can introduce unnecessary stress into an already emotionally charged time.

But a well-structured plan can provide more stability for your child, letting the holiday magic take center stage instead of allowing this otherwise cheerful time of the year to become a stressful pain point in their young life.

Nevada law about creating a holiday visitation schedule

In Nevada, a holiday parenting schedule plan can be formalized into a custody order, holding the same legal weight as any other aspect of a divorce settlement.

Whether creating a schedule for the first time or revisiting an existing plan, documenting a holiday parenting schedule as part of an official custody agreement provides a safety net.

This court-enforceable document clarifies the rights and legal responsibilities of each party, eliminating any confusion – and the potential for future litigation – should disagreements arise.

More importantly, a finalized holiday schedule ensures it meets legal standards in the best interests of the child, a key requirement under Nevada law.

Common types of holiday custody schedules

When sorting out holiday visitation arrangements, divorced parents often rely on common methods to come to an agreement.

Let’s explore two frequently used holiday schedules that provide structure and clarity for parents who share joint custody of their children:

1. Alternating Years

This common option means one parent has the child for certain holidays in odd-numbered years and the other parent in even-numbered years.

Alternating holidays each year allows the child to experience the full range of each parent’s holiday traditions, but it also means waiting an entire year to celebrate a particular holiday with the other parent.

2. Splitting Holidays

Many divorced parents also commonly agree to share holiday time on the actual day of the holiday.

In this model, each holiday is divided between the two parents. For example, Christmas morning is spent with mom and Christmas evening with dad.

Splitting parenting time in this manner enables both parents to see their child during the holiday but may result in complex holiday travel, which can be tiring for the child.

Factors to consider when creating a holiday schedule

It can be easy to overlook nuances in visitation schedules that make a significant difference.

Consider the following four factors that can influence the visitation schedule:

Legal help negotiating holiday custody visitation

Getting through the holiday season in a shared custody agreement doesn’t have to be a challenge fraught with child visitation conflict.

With thoughtful planning, open communication and legal guidance, you can form a stable and loving environment where your children can thrive during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Smith Legal Group has experienced family attorneys for divorced parents seeking an amicable approach to a formally structured holiday schedule. Contact our Henderson, NV office at 702-410-5001 to request a free consultation with an experienced Child Custody Lawyer to help you establish holiday visitation that respects everyone’s time and traditions.