For separated and divorced parents, the holidays always bring added complexity, but in the middle of Covid, things are even more difficult. Now it’s not just about coordinating time with each parent, it’s also about finding fun things to do with more limited options than usual.

I was very impressed with the Halloween experience this year. At first it seemed like he was probably a big guy – would there be trick or treating at all or would kids just have to stay home? In fact, people have come up with all sorts of strategies to have safe and detached fun. Some put candy in displays, others shot goodies up long tubes, special cards were designed to show houses set up for safe visits to Covid, etc. Ultimately, because of all the creativity, many families thought this was the BEST Halloween ever Times that made it special.

How can you have a great Christmas season with your kids in 2020?

First, make sure and coordinate the plans with the other parent in advance so there are no surprises. This year is not just about coordinating times, but also making sure that the two of you are on the same page, which seems safe or risky. If you have trouble agreeing, consider working with a mediator or family counselor. And do it early – trying to schedule a last minute trial on the parenting schedule for the coming weekend never works!

In terms of things to do with children, the Seattle Times has published helpful articles like this and this to help parents get creative. Our Seattle Family Guide will also direct you to organizations like Seattle Child and the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department so you can keep track of upcoming events. For more ideas:

Go out

Certainly, nature offers many great opportunities to have fun with your children. For great adventures, there are snow sports such as skiing (with socially distant lines), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and tubing. Closer to home, you can hike in the local parks, take a well-bundled bike ride, or just stroll around the neighborhood. When we get into December it’s always fun to take walks to see the Christmas lights and see some of the great light shows like zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo or WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo.

Create a family art project

Getting smart is another way to make the holidays special. This can mean decorating your own house inside and out, baking special holiday treats (my grown son still remembers going to his aunt’s house every year to frost cut biscuits) or making handmade gifts (for a year we made wooden coasters that I still use, and another one we made cutting boards together).

Find a new way of family togetherness

Seeing relatives for the holidays this year is going to be harder than usual. We certainly don’t want the holidays to be a super spreader event. However, if you can’t get together safely, you can at least liberally take advantage of video conferencing apps like Zoom. Having a special meal delivered to your extended family for the vacation itself and then zooming in while everyone’s having fun, or zooming in on a current opening session can help everyone share the holidays.

You can always contact us

While our family law attorneys don’t also act as party planners, we’re still here to help parents manage their parenting plans. If you and your partner are having problems managing custody, please contact us.

At Seattle Divorce Services, we wish everyone a happy, fulfilling, and cooperative Christmas time!