Gift giving during the Holidays is one of the great joys of parenthood. The smile’s and happiness gift giving brings to a child’s face is priceless. However, turning gift giving into a competition does more harm than good. By turning gift giving into a competition to see who the better parent is, parents are unwillingly putting their children in between a fight between them and their ex. This builds unnecessary tension and possibly future litigation. The best option to handling gift giving during the Holidays is to put differences aside and co-parent to the best of your abilities. This will ensure that children will grow up in a mutually loving environment. If you believe your ex spouse is deliberately causing problems with your children, contact Mark E. Sawicki, P.A. immediately. Having an experienced Family Law Attorney on your side is the only option to stopping such behavior.
Should I buy more gifts for my children than my ex?
- After Divorce, many parents try and out do the other parent by buying more gifts for their children in an attempt to show the children that they are better than the other parent. This is not a good tactic to use when dealing with children because co-parenting is more important than attempting to force a child to choose between parents. A divide will begin to grow between the child and their parents, and it is important to deal with the situation in a healthy manner by co-parenting instead of gift giving.
Will I be the better parent if I buy more gifts for my children?
- No. This way of thinking is not beneficial to the child. The best way to be a good parent to your child is to be amicable with your ex spouse and co-parent to the best of your abilities. Divorce and kids is always a difficult situation. Instead of exacerbating the situation, work to resolve any problems before they arise. Put the needs of your children above your own for the Holidays. Bickering with your ex does not solve any problems.
What are alternatives to gift giving during the Holiday season?
- Actively attempt to co-parent with your ex during the Holiday season. Instead of buying a set amount of gifts for your children, arrange a family event or get together to show that both parents support the family. Children are like sponges and if both parents are holding tension, stress, or resentment towards each other, children will absorb these negative feelings.
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Being a good parent is difficult. Being a good Divorced parent is even more difficult. Sometimes one parent does not want to participate as much as the other, and sometimes one parent wants to outperform the other parent. These situations get exasperated when Divorce occurs. Creating tension and adding stress to a child’s life is detrimental to their growth and can cause further problems including litigation. Stay away from these types of damaging behaviors and you will stay away from problems. If you are already embattled in an ugly Divorce, don’t make it worse by taking it out on your kids.