Divorce

Celebrating Halloween After a Divorce

If and your spouse recently divorced, celebrating Halloween with the kids can present some challenges for the two of you. In the past, you probably purchased their Halloween costumes together, carved jack-o-lanterns with them, and went out trick-or-treating as a family. Now that you are divorced, celebrating this spooky day with your children will require some planning and flexibility. Instead of fearing this day, read the list of tips we compiled, so you can have a ghoulishly fun time.

Navigating Halloween with Your Co-Parent

If your parenting plan does not address how this day will be handled, you and your former spouse might want to discuss how to go about celebrating it with your children. Keep in mind that your kids are also going to have a difficult time navigating this new situation, so try to put their best interests and needs before your own. If Halloween is not a day you have a particular fondness for, but you know your co-parent loves it, let the children spend the day with your ex. You can swap it out for another day you wish to share with the children.

If you and your co-parent are equally interested in celebrating Halloween with the children, this is entirely feasible. However, it will require cooperation and flexibility.

Here are some tips to help you celebrate Halloween as a divorced parent:

  • Trick-or-treat together: If you are on amicable enough terms, you might want to consider trick-or-treating with the kids together. Two chaperones are better than one and focusing on your children and ensuring they stay safe will probably keep you busy enough to avoid engaging in any arguments.
  • Have a Halloween party: If trick-or-treating is not something you are wild about, but you still want to celebrate Halloween with your children, start a new tradition by having a little Halloween party with them on a different day. You could carve pumpkins, tell spooky ghost stories, play games, and even watch a movie.
  • Find other Halloween events: Throughout the month of October, there are several different Halloween events available for you and your children. If you do not think you can arrange your own night of Halloween-themed activities, this would be a great option.
  • Alternate with your co-parent: Oftentimes, parents tend to alternate with one another, so they can spend certain holidays with the kids without having to worry about splitting the day or celebrating at some other point during the month. If Halloween means a lot to both of you, you could celebrate it with your children on even years and your former spouse could celebrate with them on odd years.

However you choose to celebrate Halloween, make sure you keep your children’s needs in mind.

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