How to handle child custody over the new year’s weekend in new jersey

Navigating any holiday after divorce can be a little strange, especially early on. However, New Year’s Eve and Day present a unique opportunity to create a schedule that you and your co-parent can adhere to in the new year. If you and your ex are struggling to handle New Year’s, there are a few tips to make handling child custody over the New Year’s weekend easier for everyone involved. 

How Does Child Custody in New Jersey Work? 

First thing’s first, how does child custody in New Jersey traditionally work? In most cases, divorced parents are free to develop a custody arrangement that works for them. Family courts typically don’t like to get involved in the development of child custody arrangements unless the parents genuinely can’t agree or if there are extenuating circumstances involved such as domestic abuse, neglect, or violence. 

However, that doesn’t mean the courts don’t have their recommendations based on what usually works best for divorced families. Typically, whichever parent has custody of the children on New Year’s Eve would not have custody on New Year’s Day and vice versa. In this type of arrangement, one parent will have custody of the children from 6:00 pm-11:00 am on New Year’s Eve, with the other parent getting custody from 11:00 am on New Year’s Day to 7:30 pm that night. 

How to Make Custody Arrangements Easier

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to make your custody arrangement easier this upcoming holiday: 

Keep Everyone Informed

You may have made plans for your child on New Year’s Eve, but without proper communication, your ex may have done the same thing. Furthermore, your child may have made plans with their friends on New Year’s Eve without realizing they were supposed to be doing something else. Miscommunication like this is normal, but it can easily be avoided by communicating your goals for the holiday weekend with everyone involved. 

In fact, there are several co-parenting apps on the market that you can use to avoid situations like this from happening. FamiliPay and TalkingParents are among the most common and may be helpful to avoid miscommunication and the subsequent frustrations that follow. 

Be Flexible

Life is always in a state of flux and sometimes the plans you have may go awry, especially if you or your ex get called into work last minute on the New Year’s weekend. Since emotions run high during the divorce process and in the first few months that follow, many parents may think being flexible with one another isn’t possible, however, it can actually go a long way and make your custody arrangement go even smoother in the new year. 

Understand that plans may change. The more flexible you are, the easier it’ll be for your children, as they are still adjusting to a new routine and want to spend time with both parents. Remember, celebrating special occasions is about being together, regardless of whether or not you’re celebrating on the actual day. 

Contact A Clark Family Law Attorney For A Consultation About Child Custody In New Jersey Today

If you are thinking about filing for divorce, or if you have already started the divorce process and are dealing with another matter such as child custody, child support, or division of assets, you need to speak with a qualified attorney. The New Jersey family law attorneys at Team Law represent clients throughout the state, including Camden, Passaic, Union City, and Bayonne. We understand how challenging this time can be for you, which is why we will fight hard to protect your interests, and the interests of your loved ones, throughout the legal process. Call us at (732) 540-1394 or fill out our confidential online contact form to schedule a consultation. We have an office conveniently located at 136 Central Ave., Clark, NJ 07066, as well as offices located in West New York, Perth Amboy, Edison, Summit, Newark, New Brunswick, Orange, Plainfield, and Jersey City.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.