Common Holiday Child Visitation Issues

It’s fairly common for a child visitation agreement to divide up holidays and vacations between each parent. For example, during summer, the child may spend half their summer break with one parent and half with the other. Parents likely rotate holidays as well, so they can both get the chance to have their children in their home for Christmas and Thanksgiving. This visitation schedule allows parents to spend as much time as possible with their kids, and gives kids a quality relationship with each parent.

But there are times when even the most ironclad of custody agreements leaves parents with questions. These issues often crop up around the holidays, which can throw a wrench in the normal schedule. Below is a list of problems related to custody and the holidays that parents often raise, as well as advice that could help you avoid these common holiday child visitation issues.

If you have questions about your child visitation or custody agreement, consult an experienced child custody and visitation attorney at Breeden Law Office. Call us today at (919) 661-4970.

Solutions to Common Holiday Visitation Problems

• My holiday is during the other parent’s weekend. Do I still get to see my child?
  Holidays generally take precedence over regular weekend schedules. Normally you may alternate weekends so neither one of you gets two weekends in a row. In this case, you’d get the weekend because it’s a holiday weekend, and you would return to your regular schedule after.
• What if I want to take vacation during the other parent’s holiday?
  Because holidays are set in stone, they would generally trump a vacation. Try to plan your vacation around the holiday, or you can ask your child’s other parent to switch weekends. You are permitted to rearrange your custody agreement without the court’s help, so long as you can both agree to the terms.
• Does the other parent forfeit their right to a holiday weekend if they miss visitation all the time?
  Likely the answer is “No.” The child’s other parent does not have to give up their scheduled holiday, even if they have missed their visitation weekends. If you want to alter your child custody agreement based on new information about what happens in the child’s life, contact a child custody attorney.
• What if our holidays are on the same days?
  If you and your child’s other parent are different religions, this could happen – Thanksgiving may fall on the same day as the beginning of Hanukah, for instance. In this case, you should try to work out an alternative schedule among yourselves. If you can’t reach an agreement, you may want to consult with a child custody attorney about your options.

How a North Carolina Child Custody Lawyer Can Help

While these are some common problems parents have during the holidays, each case is different and comes with its own set of issues. If you need help with your visitation agreement, talk to an experienced child custody attorney. For over 17 years, attorney Jonathan Breeden has helped parents straighten out the complexities that come with visitation schedule changes during the holidays. If you’d like a consultation of your case, call Breeden Law Office at (919) 661-4970 to schedule an appointment.