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After a divorce, your life will change in many ways. Although you or your children might wish to hold onto your old family traditions, the fact is these will likely have to change as well. If you cling to the past, it will stunt the healing process and make it difficult to move forward. Keep the traditions you can, but be willing to create and embrace new ones that are suited for the changes your life recently underwent.
Tips on How to Create New Traditions
If this is your first holiday season in the aftermath of your divorce, this is likely your first big opportunity to revise many of your long-cherished family traditions. One of the best ways to ease your children into these changes is by encouraging their involvement. Ask them for their input when decorating the home or which activities they would like to include for the holidays. It is easier to feel excited about something you have a hand in planning, and it will give them a sense of agency during a time when they probably feel rather helpless.
Even if you will not have your children with you for much of the holidays due to the holiday parenting schedule, allowing your children to wield some power over your new holiday traditions will help build some excitement.
Here are some other tips to help you create and embrace new family traditions:
- Get creative: To work around your child custody and visitation plan, you will need to exercise a bit of creativity when making new family traditions. For example, if your co-parent gets the children for Christmas every other year, you might want to celebrate Christmas on a different day with them during the years when your spouse has them. There is no reason why you cannot still embrace the spirit of this holiday.
- Invite other friends and family: In the past, there might have been some people who could not make it to your holiday gatherings because it clashed with their own. When you start celebrating holidays on different days, however, you might find that some of the friends or family members who were unable to attend are finally able to join you. Your children will also get the chance to extend their support network.
- Stay in touch with your children: If your children are away from you, make an effort to remain in contact with them, but try to give your ex-spouse some space. It would be wise to discuss boundaries and which methods of communication are acceptable. However, if your children are having a difficult time coping, give them the time they need to communicate with their other parent.
Lastly, pay attention to your needs and create a tradition of self-care. The holidays can be a hectic time for anyone, regardless of marital status, so go easy on yourself.
Contact Our Experienced Family Law Team Today!
The holiday season can be challenging for those who recently finalized a divorce. Unfortunately, not all problems can achieve a resolution without legal assistance. At K. Dean Kantaras, P.A., our knowledgeable attorneys can guide you through any family law matter, regardless of its complexities.
Contact our law office today at (727) 939-6113 to set up an initial consultation with a member of our legal team.