My ex and I share custody of our children. How do we handle visits during the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays?
In most cases, one parent is granted visitation for Thanksgiving and the second half of Christmas break and the other parent is granted visitation for the first half of Christmas break.
This schedule is then swapped for the following year. For example, whoever had the child(ren) for Thanksgiving and the second half of Christmas break this year will have the child(ren) for the first half of Christmas break the next year.
The exact time periods (according to a Standard Possession Order or SPO) are as follows:
Thanksgiving – from 6 pm on the day school lets out for the Thanksgiving holiday until 6 pm on the Sunday following Thanksgiving
1st half of Christmas – from 6 pm on the day school lets out for the Christmas holiday until noon on December 28th
2nd half of Christmas – from noon on December 28th until 6 pm on the day before school resumes
These holiday visitations include weekends, meaning there is no “every other weekend” exchanging necessary.
If you are confused about the visitation schedule in your current order, want to change the schedule in your current order, or need to create an order regarding visitation/custody of your children, the Law Offices of Susan M. Edmonson is here to help.