30 Ways to Share Spring Break

When you are developing a parenting plan to co-parent after a separation or divorce, one of the things you need to plan for are the holidays.  There are an infinite number of ways to plan for holidays.  You will want to consider how old the children are and what type of traditions your family has established in deciding how to co-parent during spring break.

Here are 25 ways you could schedule the spring break in your parenting plan:

1-Spend the whole break with mom.

2-Spend the whole break with dad.

3-Spend the first half of the break with mom and the second with dad.

4-Spend the first half of the break with dad and the second half with mom.

5-Alternate days between mom and dad’s house during the break.

6-Spend the whole break with mom on even years and dad on odd years.

7-Spend the whole break with dad on odd years and mom on even years.

8-Keep the schedule the way you always do, don’t make any changed because it’s the break.

9-Keep the schedule the way you always do.  However, on Easter weekend spend Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning with mom and Sunday morning through Monday morning with dad.

10- Keep the schedule the way you always do.  However, on Easter weekend spend Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning with dad and Sunday morning through Monday morning with mom.

11-Keep the schedule the way you always do, but the kids go to church with Grandma on Easter morning.

12-Have the children spend the days out of school with whichever parent has off of work.  Schedule that no later than January 31.  Share the Easter weekend by one parent having Friday through Saturday afternoon and the other Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening.

13-Go to church with the extended family, have Easter dinner with mom, spend the rest of the break split between the parents.

14- Go to church with the extended family, have Easter dinner with dad, spend the rest of the break split between the parents.

16-Spend Passover with dad and Easter with mom and split the rest of the break around those dates.

17-Spend Passover with mom and Easter with dad and split the rest of the break around those dates.

18-Spend Friday and Saturday with mom and Sunday and Monday with dad and spend the break with mom on even years and dad on odd years.

19-Spend Sunday and Monday with dad and Friday and Saturday with mom and spend the break with mom on even years and dad on odd years.

20-Spend all day Easter with both parents, Friday with mom and Saturday with dad.

21-Spend all day Easter with both parents, Friday with dad and Saturday with mom.

22-During the week when the children are out of school, spend the days with dad and the evenings with mom.  Keep the weekends as they are usually scheduled.

23-The week when the children are out of school, spend the days with mom and the evenings with dad.  Keep the weekends as they are usually scheduled.

24-Spend the break taking the children on college tours.  (This is of course best for those about to enter college!)

25-Have the children visit grandparents and cousins during the entire spring break, alternating between greandparent’s houses.

26-From the time the children get out of school until 9:00 a.m. on Friday, with mom and from 9:00 a.m. on Friday until they return to school, with dad.

27-From the time the children get out of school until 9:00 a.m. on Friday, with dad and from 9:00 a.m. on Friday until they return to school, with mom.

28-Every day during the week from 1:00-7:00 with dad, and the rest of the time with mom.  The first weekend, with dad and Easter weekend with mom.

29- Every day during the week from 1:00-7:00 with dad, and the rest of the time with mom.  The first weekend, with dad and Easter weekend with mom.

30- Every day during the week from 1:00-7:00 with mom, and the rest of the time with mom.  The first weekend, with mom and Easter weekend with dad.

That’s a lot of options!  And there are many more!  Just think about lots of possibilities and find the right one or ones for your family.  However, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• DO schedule and communicate a detailed holiday schedule at least a month in advance. Your children, your extended family, and your spouse will be creating expectations about the holiday and you will be more likely to avoid conflict if you communicate your plans well in advance of the holiday.

• DON'T count minutes or hours in making decisions. Work for shared experiences, not just shared time.

• DO think about what is important to your children about the holiday. Do they love hunting for Easter eggs with the children in the neighborhood? Do they like to visit with cousins Easter afternoon? Would they prefer to be able to rest some due to a rigorous academic schedule?

• DON'T forget to consider the benefits of good relationships with extended family and friends.

• DO think through lots of options before you decide on anything. Sometimes the best choice is the not first one that comes to mind.

If you are working on a parenting plan, there are several forms available on-line that may be helpful to you.  Click here for the form for the District of Columbia.   Click here for the form approved by the Supreme Court for West Virginia. Virginia does not have the court-sanctioned forms as do other jurisdictions. A list of those that have been approved is located here.

Our office works with families, either as a mediator or as a collaborative lawyer, to help you customize a parenting plan that will be best for your family.  Please contact us with your questions.