Holidays Post-Divorce
Another holiday season has come and gone. I have to admit that I made all arrangements for all holiday time that I could arrange for all my clients, and then — closed my office for two weeks! This was a first for me; although my capable assistant did go to the office one or two days during that time period just to forestall major disaster.
There was the usual panoply of complaint. Presumptive or actual principal-custodial parents hogging holiday happiness; disgruntled presumptive or actual non-principal-residential parents wanting more time, different time, better time. It amazes me that people who claimed to love one another enough to produce offspring can’t be cordial enough with each other to figure out how to make sure their children have wonderful holidays no matter where they are.
Listen, folks, in case you don’t get it yet: CHILDREN ARE NOT FOOTBALLS. They are not intended to be passed back and forth, held tightly in a tackle, or kicked over a goal post just so you can say you beat the other team. I cannot stress this enough. CHILDREN ARE PEOPLE. More than that, they are immature people, with limited understanding of the of the grown-up world, who just want to see their parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents and cousins. They don’t really care where this happens. If they had their way, they would sit in one place surrounded by everyone who rocks their world, grinning and grinning.
Holidays are SUPPOSED TO BE FUN. Don’t spoil it by insisting that you get 8.25 days and “he” or “she” (the other parent) only gets 6.75 days. Be mature. Be the adult. Heck, maybe one day your kids will make great parents, because YOU set a good example!!!
Happy New Year!
Corinne Corley