Holiday schedule nightmare starting early

Dec 30·1 min read

Christmas is 4 months away and my ex is already making demands about having the kids from Dec 24-26 when the agreement says I get them the 25th. She's claiming "it's traditional" even though we've only been separated for 2 years.

Do I need to stick to what's written or try to work something out? I don't want the kids caught in the middle but I also don't want to set a precedent that the agreement is negotiable whenever she feels like it. What's everyone's approach to this?

4 comments346 views

Comments(4)

CChris T.RegularDec 31

This is rough but honestly getting ahead of it now is better than fighting about it in November when emotions are high. Have you guys used a co-parenting app like OurFamilyWizard? Takes a lot of the drama out of scheduling stuff.

NNicholas R.New DadJan 2

The key thing I learned is to separate her tone from the actual request. Yeah the early demands suck but at least you know what's coming. Last year my ex blindsided me two weeks before Christmas. This is actually better.

SSteve L.RegularJan 2

Four months is actually pretty normal for her to start planning though. I'd suggest proposing your own schedule now rather than waiting for her demands to get more specific. Maybe suggest alternating years for the 24-26 stretch?

TTom B.New DadDec 31

I feel this pain man. My ex does the same thing. My advice is to document whatever you've agreed to in previous years and reference that. If there's no precedent, propose something fair now and get it in writing before she digs in.