Halloween is upon us and that can be a difficult holiday for parents that share custody. Halloween often isn’t a holiday that is specified in a child custody order, which makes it a tricky holiday—no pun intended.
Wondering how you can keep the peace this Halloween with your co-parent? Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP have you covered! Keep reading to learn more about managing child custody agreements and Halloween.
- Communication is Essential
- Choose an Appropriate Costume
- Split Time Appropriately or Trick or Treating
As with any aspect of co-parenting, communication is essential. Both parents need to communicate about any Halloween plans, including school activities, parties, and the plan for Halloween night. This is compounded even more by the COVID-19 pandemic, as both parents should be on the same page regarding what is acceptable or not in terms of the child’s safety.
Another way to keep the peace when it comes to Halloween is to choose an appropriate costume. As kids get older they might want to push their luck on costumes, but you should be sure that whatever they pick is acceptable—within reason—for both parents in order to reduce any tension. Be sure to have a discussion about whether or not something is too violet or too provocative and maintain a united front when it comes to discussing Halloween costumes with your child.
Most divorce decrees do not address Halloween in the custody agreement. Technically, Halloween custody would then be dependent on whatever day Halloween falls on in regards to the custody agreement, but you don’t want the other parent to feel left out if they consistently fail to have custody on Halloween. If you are cordial, consider trick or treating together. Or, perhaps one parent trick or treats for an hour, and then the other parent takes the child for another hour. Again, communication is key and only you two know what is the best option for your family when it comes to custody on Halloween.
For help with child custody issues, contact Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP today!
If your child custody arrangement simply is not working anymore, you are able to file to amend it. There must be specific criteria that are met—namely that the current agreement is not in the best interest of the child—but with the help of an experienced family law attorney like Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP, applying for a modification to a child custody order is possible. If you would like to learn more or start the process of trying to modify your child custody agreement in California, give us a call today at 909-482-1422 to schedule an initial consultation.
To learn more about the reliable and quality family law services that we offer, visit us on the web at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP.
