Don’t wait until the Christmas school holiday is here to work out parenting arrangements.

 

A period of uncertainty

Christmas Pine

As Christmas lights and decorations spring up across Surrey, many separated parents are worrying about where their children will spend the festive season.

The Christmas holiday brings a huge change of routine. Even those with well-established routines can struggle to work out which parent the child will spend time with on which days.

 

Stress can mount up

 

Girl with Christmas treeThe festive period creates other complications too, such as:

• Will the child be able to see grandparents and other extended family members?

• How might a parent’s new partner fit into the equation?

• What about all the travel arrangements, and how they will be funded?

The stresses mount up, leading to long-standing resentments between the parents resurfacing. It can lead to Christmas being anything other than a time of joy for many separated families.

 

 

Move forward with Mediation

 

Children at ChristmasAccredited family mediators help separated parents agree between themselves what will work best for the children during the school break.

It can be tricky to agree the time they will spend with each parent during this period and, as we head into December, the stress levels rise.

We help separated parents work out a plan that fits their unique family circumstances, and our advice is to get in touch soon. Don’t leave it until the last minute.

Making the arrangements in good time will give certainty to both parents, bringing you peace of mind. And it means the children know what is coming in the weeks ahead. This gives everyone the best chance of having a happy Christmas break.

 

Anyone wanting to find out more about the benefits of family mediation can get in touch to discuss their situation with a member of our team.

 

SFMS engages mediators on the Family Mediation Council (FMC) Register, which means they meet agreed professional standards. The FMC Register can be searched online, enabling people to find mediators near to them https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/

Mediation allows the parties to stay in control, as no one will be made to do or agree to anything against their wishes. Unlike in a courtroom, both partners can agree to a solution rather than have a judge decide for them.