Trick or Treat Tips for Divorced Parents: Plan Ahead So Both Parents Can Enjoy Halloween Fun With Your Child

By ATTORNEY McKENZIE J. WALTERS

Halloween is quickly approaching so now’s the time for parents who are separated or divorced to start planning how to make the holiday special for their little ghosts and goblins.

1. Plan Ahead. Have a conversation with your child’s other parent about plans for Halloween. If you’re already divorced, does your parenting plan account for this holiday? If not, are you both willing to be flexible? If you are in the divorce process, have you looked ahead and talked about how the schedule will work for Halloween (and other holidays)? Either way, now’s the time to look at both of your schedules and make a plan to help ensure the holiday is stress-free so your child can focus on the important stuff: candy and costumes

2. Don’t Ask Your Child to Decide. Although you want your child to be able to spend the holiday the way he or she wants, don’t ask where your child wants to spend Halloween, nor which parent should take him or her trick-or-treating. In your child’s eyes, a question like this is basically asking, “Which parent do I want to be with?” It just puts pressure on the child and puts him or her in the middle. That’s why the parents need to make the decision. If circumstances were different, your child would likely want to spend Halloween with you both, so avoid having your child make the decision and stick to making the holiday plans between the two of you.

3. Share the Night! What child is going to say no to double the amount of candy? If possible, start the night trick-or-treating in one parent’s neighborhood and then make arrangements to have your child trick-or-treat in the other parent’s neighborhood.

4. Split the Holiday into Separate Events. If you don’t live close enough to each other or have enough time for your child to spend Halloween with you both, remember there are plenty of other fall activities and events that you can share with your child, including pumpkin carving, picking out a costume and going to costume parties.

The most important thing parents need to remember is that it’s important to work together to make your children feel like they’re experiencing Halloween with both of you. If one of you helps them pick out a costume and/or carve a pumpkin and the other takes them trick-or-treating, you’re both involved.

These are just a few tips. If you would like additional suggestions or more information on how to co-parent during the holidays, please visit our website, PollackLawGroup.com, or contact me directly at (978) 289-4022.

McKenzie J. Walters is an attorney at Pollack Law Group, P.C.