Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Parenting Time: HOLIDAY PARENTING TIME SCHEDULE

I have strayed a bit from my examination of Indiana's Parenting Time Guidelines. With luck, next month will see a completion of what I started.

One gift given us by The Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines is the uniformity of holiday visitation. I still see disputes about who gets the children on what holiday. As the following Guideline points out, holiday visitation trumps regular visitation. The second paragraph ought to make that clear.

1. Conflicts Between Regular and Holiday Weekends.
The Holiday Parenting Time Schedule shall take precedence over regularly scheduled and extended parenting time. Extended parenting time takes precedence over regular parenting time unless otherwise indicated in these Guidelines.

If the non-custodial parent misses a regular weekend because it is the custodial parent’s holiday, the regular alternating parenting time schedule will resume following the holiday. If the non-custodial parent receives two consecutive weekends because of a holiday, the regular alternating parenting time schedule will resume the following weekend with the custodial parent.
As for the commentary, this is it:
Recognizing there are individuals of varying faiths who celebrate holidays other than those set out in the guidelines, the parties should try to work out a holiday visitation schedule that fairly divides the holidays which they celebrate over a two-year period in as equal a manner as possible.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The problem I see people have with holiday visitation is a scenario where (I’m going to say non-custodial parent, but really this has happened with regards to a custodial parent as well) it’s the non-custodial parent’s normal weekend, the following weekend starts Spring Break and per the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines it’s the non--custodial parent’s that year so they have that weekend and the next thus 3 weekends in a row. So which is? Follow the 2 weekend in a row rule or the “Holiday” rule?

Or what about when a Birthday falls during a “holiday”? Such as in my friend’s case her daughter’s birthday is December 31. Again which is it? The ”Holiday” rule or “Holiday/Special Day” rule?

Many parents are at odds when there is an odd number of days to split over the Christmas break. Or when you split the days and technically ½ is 12noon on Christmas; however the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines contradict that ½ because the other parent is to get 9am-9pm so in the long run the child‘s time get shortened with said parent.

These are these issues this Indiana Parent Time Guidelines need to address.! In my opinion!

Thanks for listing,
Tina

Sam Hasler said...

I think if you read the post again that you will see the Guideline quoted includes how to deal with the kind of conflicts mentioned in the preceding comment.

Anonymous said...

Hello...i have a similar question as anonymous. Not in whose holiday it is, but how you get back on your 'regular alternating schedule' after the holiday. the guidelines state different things whether it's the custodial's or the non-custodial's holiday. Sounds like if the non misses, they just miss, and if the non gets 2, it goes back to the custodial after. The ex in my situation wants to 'flip' the weekends everytime there are consecutive ones for a holiday. What makes matters worse is when this happens kids are then on opposing weekends of step-siblings. Does 'regular alternating schedule' mean 'regular' as in whose weekend was in place prior to or after the holiday? this causes much heartache for us since it's not very clear and doesn't seem to make sense to flip a schedule around each time there is holiday time. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

similar situation as anonymous...but in regard to how to get 'back on track' after a holiday instead.
after a holiday, do the weekends 'flip' because of consecutive weekends of one parent...which changes up the rotation, or does the 'regular' weekend schedule resume...as in whosever weekend it was/is with out regard to the one missed for the holiday? Please help clarify...