Navigating child custody and visitation during the holiday season

 Posted on September 12, 2025 in Child custody

In Virginia, one of the most difficult aspects of divorce and its aftermath is navigating child custody and visitation. Parents will want to spend as much quality time with their child as possible. But that can be difficult as they adapt to the new circumstances.

Even after the custody determination has been made, there can still be lingering disputes. One area that is rife for contentious debates between parents is during the holidays and when the child is off from school for an extended period. For parents who are concerned about this, it is important to understand how visitation (also called parenting time) schedules are formulated and know how that could impact the holidays.

Fundamentals of a parenting plan in Virginia

The parenting plan will consider myriad factors related to the child's life and their relationship with the parents. Examples of what will be assessed are the child's age; their mental and physical condition; their needs; the parents' age, physical and mental condition; past problems that might have come up; educational needs; medical needs; extracurricular activities; the parents' willingness to cooperate; and more.

During the holidays, there is the chance that parents will disagree on where the child will be and when. In a best-case scenario, the parents will have a detailed schedule beforehand and stick to it. However, that does not mean disagreements will not arise or parents will ask for concessions that were not in the agreement.

Often, parents on amicable terms will be flexible and "trade" days. Perhaps one parent wants to have the child for Thanksgiving when it was not scheduled. The other parent could have the child during Christmas break in exchange for altering the schedule. Additional challenges could arise including travel arrangements, transportation, and communication with the other parent during the holidays.

Know how to avoid and address disputes about holiday parenting time

The key to addressing and avoiding any problem with child custody and a parenting time schedule is being prepared and understanding the law. It is beneficial, particularly to the child, if the parents can negotiate and find a workable solution to parenting time disagreements. Unfortunately, that is not always possible. When crafting the parenting plan or discussing how to deal with holiday disputes, it is useful to have experienced guidance that understands all areas of family law.