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How to Use TalkingParents to Co-Parent Over the Holidays
5 ways TalkingParents can help you co-parent over the holidays.
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Co-parenting over the holidays can be tough, but advanced planning, communication, and the right tools can help set your family up for success. TalkingParents offers a number of features built to help co-parents communicate in an organized, documented fashion. This can be particularly useful over the busy holiday season as co-parents look for ways to take some of the stress out of coordination. Here are 5 ways you can use TalkingParents to help you co-parent over the holidays:
1. Discuss and document the holiday schedule
There are a number of ways to split custody over the holidays. Some common ways that co-parents might decide to share time include alternating holidays every other year, splitting holidays in half, or spending the same holidays with their kids every year. Click here to learn more about splitting custody over the holidays.
TalkingParents can be an extremely useful tool for managing the holiday custody schedule. You and your co-parent can work out an agreement with each other using Secure Messaging or Accountable Calling, both of which keep all communications organized and documented. Once you’ve decided upon the holiday schedule, use our Shared Calendar tool to document your agreement. The Shared Calendar can be used to keep track of transition days and coordinate holiday-related events and activities.
2. Organize and coordinate gifts
Whether you and your co-parent decide to coordinate on gifts or not, you should still discuss them if you can. It’s beneficial to talk about a possible gift limit, spending range, and/or any presents that may be off-limits for your children. It’s also a good idea to plan gift giving so that you and your co-parent don’t accidentally buy the same items for your kids.
You and your co-parent can document any potential gift parameters using our Info Library tool. This feature allows you to create customizable cards to hold important information that both parents need access to. If you and your co-parent do decide to coordinate on gifts, you can manage all shared expenses using the Accountable Payments tool, available in the TalkingParents mobile app. This feature makes it easy for co-parents to make payment requests and securely send or receive money.
3. Address or establish traditions
It’s important for co-parents to think about any holiday traditions you had together previously. Will either of you continue them? If so, how will these traditions differ now that you are in a co-parenting situation? Do your children believe in Santa Claus? If they do, will Santa visit one parent’s household, or both? You should also think about any new traditions you want to start, and how to introduce them to your kids in a positive way.
Streamline any discussions revolving around traditions, new and old, through Secure Messaging or Accountable Calling. Messages are searchable and call transcripts are available, making it easy to reference any conversations or decisions down the road.
4. Share special moments
So many special moments take place over the holiday season. These might range from holiday events and gift-giving to traditions and religious practices. One of the hardest parts of co-parenting is having to spend time apart from your children, and that can be especially apparent to families over the holidays.
Stay connected with your kids on holidays apart through our Accountable Calling feature. This tool includes Video Calling capabilities, so you and your children can share in special moments with each other, even when they’re not in your custody. Use Video Calling to watch your child open gifts on Christmas morning or participate in caroling. Remember, it’s important to schedule these calls with your co-parent’s involvement.
5. Take care of yourself
The holidays are full of special moments for families, but they can also come with heightened stress. With so much to be planned and coordinated, many parents find themselves feeling like they have a never-ending to-do list. For co-parents, the holidays may also come with an altered custody schedule, making an already hectic time of year even more complicated. Check out our 4 tips to help your family reduce stress and focus on self-care over the holidays here.
TalkingParents also offers a Personal Journal feature, offering you a safe space to keep private notes. Journaling can be a great way to de-stress, allowing you to dump out negative stories and emotions that you’re holding onto and replace them with gratitude and acknowledgement. This is called new cycle journaling, and you can learn more about it in our guest blog by Jay Skibbens.
TalkingParents is here to help you and your children over the holidays
Co-parenting over the holidays can be a lot to juggle, but our tools are designed to make the journey easier. We want to help make the holidays brighter for you and your family every step of the way.