Balfour + Manson: A recipe for magical Christmas co-parenting
Kirsten Knight and Lynne Mulcahy who head up the Family Law Team in Aberdeen at Balfour + Manson, share their tips for ensuring the whole family has a happy Christmas…
At Balfour + Manson, we realise that Christmas can be particularly stressful for those co-parenting due to separation or divorce.
Kirsten Knight explained, ‘There’s no ‘one size fits all’ rule for every family. Both sides may need to compromise so that the children are able to enjoy Christmas with the entire family.
‘The key thing is communication. Children should feel that their parents have worked together to make their Christmas happy and stress free. Negotiate plans as early as possible and be open. You might want to involve older, more mature children in these discussions, but they should never feel pressure to pick one parent over the other. If you are able to agree plans, put them in writing, even an email, just to check that understanding and avoid any hitches later.
Lynne Mulcahy added, ‘Be flexible. A bit of give and take means the children are able to relax and enjoy Christmas so much more. It might be small things like scattering reindeer food outside Dad’s house as well as Mum’s or changing the timing of a meal. Often separated families find arrangements that alternate year about work well.
‘Be child centred; putting the children’s needs centre stage provides common ground and reminds everyone of what is most important. Asking the question ‘How will that feel to the children?’ is vital.
‘Having said all of this, the team at Balfour + Manson understand that reaching an agreement is not always going to be possible, so we can help co-parents come to a solution that works for both them and the children.’
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Tel: 01224 498080
balfour-manson.co.uk