If you are about to divorce, there is a good chance that your Thanksgiving will be rather different from those of previous years. Depending on how you found previous occasions, that could be a bonus or a cause for sadness.
If you and your spouse share children, you will need to give serious thought to how you manage these and other traditional family gatherings going forward. Even if you are happy never to share lunch with your in-laws again, they are still your children’s family.
Your kids should have the opportunity to share time with both sides of their family. In fact, those extended family members can often provide important support for the kids when the nucleus of their family shatters.
Now is the time to think about this
Don’t treat it as an issue you can deal with nearer the time. Now, while you are making your custody and parenting plan is the ideal time to address the issue. That way, you can put your agreement in writing, so it is there to fall back on if difficulties arise.
Some co-parents decide to split their children’s day in two, with the kids taking lunch at one house and spending the evening with the other side of the family. That is only likely to work if the two sides celebrate Thanksgiving close to each other.
Other co-parents opt to take turns. Maybe the kids spend Thanksgiving with mum and her family this year, and spend it with dad and his family next year. You can also use other prominent days to compensate, such as Christmas or a holiday specific to your religion or culture.
There’s a lot to consider when going through a divorce. Experienced guidance from a legal team who have been through this many times before can help you understand what else you need to consider.