In Michigan, family courts believe a strong relationship with both parents is in a child’s best interests, whenever possible. As such, noncustodial parents are generally granted reasonable rights of parenting time. If you and your co-parent cannot work out an arrangement, however, the court has a standard holiday schedule that allows both parents to spend time with the children on special occasions, including birthdays and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Holiday Visitation in Michigan
Every parent wants to spend as much quality time with their children as possible, especially during the holidays. After all, the holiday season is a time for celebrating togetherness, love, and family, so it is understandable why this matter is often challenging. Although it would be ideal for parents to work out an agreement on their own, this is not always possible. In Michigan, there is a standard holiday schedule for parents to follow if they cannot hash out a schedule.
To ensure each parent maintain a strong bond with their child throughout the holidays, the court typically divides time in the following manner:
- Thanksgiving: The mother will have the children for Thanksgiving during odd years and the father will have the children for Thanksgiving during even years, beginning at 6:00 pm on Wednesday and ending on Friday at 6:00 pm.
- Winter break: The mother will have the children for the first half of the winter break during even years and the father will have the children for the first half of the winter break during odd years.
- Christmas Eve: The mother will have the children for Christmas Eve during even years and the father will have the children for Christmas Eve during the odd years, beginning on the 23rd of December at 6:00 pm and ending at 6:00 pm on the 24th.
- Christmas Day: The mother will have the children for Christmas Day during odd years and the father will have the children for Christmas Day during the even years, beginning on the 24th of December at 6:00 pm and ending at 6:00 pm on the 25th.
- Winter break: For the second half of the winter break, the mother will have the children during odd years and the father will have the children during even years.
If you and your co-parent get along, keep in mind that you would have more flexibility in your holiday visitation plan. Always try to cooperate and negotiate with your former spouse whenever possible to ensure you achieve an arrangement that best suits your needs and the needs of your children.
Contact a Knowledgeable Child Custody Attorney Today
If you wish to make changes to your holiday parenting schedule, reach out to the team at the Law Offices of Elaine Stypula, our child custody attorney has been practicing law since 1999 and has a history of proven success. No matter how complex your case might be, you can rely on us to help you achieve the best results for you and your family.
Contact us today at (248) 565-3800 to schedule a consultation!
Holiday Visitation Tips for Divorced Parents – Christmas and holiday schedules for kids and families are difficult enough for any family. In a divorce situation, the delicate balance of appeasing both parties while making sure children enjoy holiday meals and traditions with both parents can be downright maddening.
Nazli Sater, a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP specializing in Family Law, sees an annual uptick in her practice from now through New Year’s as parents try and work through the sticky issue of holiday scheduling and divorce.
OAKLAND COUNTY MOMS FAMILY HEALTH ARTICLES
The holidays are fast approaching and for divorcing and divorced parents throughout Michigan, that can mean hassle and heartache when it comes to scheduling holiday meals and figuring out family get-togethers.
“In many ways, it’s our job to make sure that the kids are in the right home at the right time,” said Sater. “That’s seldom as important — or as challenging — as it can be during the holidays. As parents divorce and remarry, they may be trying to accommodate the needs of blended families, new religious traditions and multiple cultures. Communication and negotiation are keys to the process, along with compromise and patience.”
Sater notes that parents who are in the process of divorcing — or who have final parenting schedules in place — may have the most challenges over dividing the holidays.
Holiday Visitation Tips for Divorced Parents from Nazli Sater, a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP (specializing in Family Law):
- Past, new traditions: Sater says it can be most helpful to start with a review of what each respective family has done in the past before the divorce. If you typically spent Christmas Eve with mom’s side of the family and Christmas Day with dad’s side of the family, see if you can continue to do that. “Try to honor past traditions as much as possible, but recognize that you may not be able to keep them intact,” Sater counsels. “It may be time for divorced or divorcing parents to create new traditions for their families.”
- Alternate holidays: A simple solution may be to alternate holidays so that a child spends Thanksgiving one year with mom’s family and the next year with dad’s. Of course, Sater says, if mom gets Thanksgiving this year, it may be worthwhile to let dad’s family choose first when it comes to Christmas.
- Barter: Parents may need to do some “horsetrading” to ensure that they secure appropriate parenting time at a time when it’s most important to their respective families, Sater notes. For example, if you have a cottage and spending the Fourth of July is important to your family, offer your spouse Memorial Day AND Labor Day to ensure that your children are with you for fireworks on the Fourth.
Be creative, flexible: There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to holiday negotiations, Sater says. It’s important for spouses to be creative and flexible and try to put their children’s needs ahead of their own.
ABOUT WARNER NORCROSS & JUDD LLP:
Warner represents clients in all aspects of family law, customizing our approach to the client’s specific circumstances. We provide services in the areas of premarital and post-marital agreements, separation agreements, annulment, divorce, custody and parenting time, spousal and child support, property division, and post-judgment financial and custody matters. For information on legal services, please contact any of the
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WARNER NORCROSS & JUDD LLP MICHIGAN OFFICES:
Grand Rapids
900 Fifth Third Center
111 Lyon Street, N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2487
616.752.2000
Holland
85 East Eighth Street, Ste. 310
Holland, MI 49423-3528
616.396.9800
Lansing
One
Michigan Avenue Building
120 N. Washington Ave., Ste. 410
Lansing, MI 48933-1617
517.679.7400
Macomb County
45000 River Ridge Dr., Ste. 300
Clinton Township, MI 48038-5582
248.784.5199
Muskegon
700 Terrace Point Road, Ste. 350
P.O. Box 900
Muskegon, MI 49443-0900
231.727.2600
Southfield
2000 Town Center, Ste. 2700
Southfield, MI 48075-1318
248.784.5000
For more holiday visitation tips for divorced parents, visit www.aap.org.