Co-parenting is tough any time of year, but during the holidays the stress level and emotion can leave exes spreading more bah humbug than Christmas cheer. One of the most difficult tasks, particularly if you have younger children, is helping them with gifts for said ex. Lump of coal, anyone? Realistically you know you’ve got to do better than that when co-parenting over the holidays, and we can help make it easier with these creative gift ideas for your ex-spouse.
- Consider their hobbies – Is your ex a sports fan, a golfer, a runner, a movie buff, an avid reader, a gardener or a foodie? Hobbies are an easy place to start when helping your child find a holiday gift for your ex.
- Capture memories – Nothing speaks to a parent’s heart more than memories of their children. With sites like Shutterfly or Snapfish, you could help your child make a photo book, turn artwork into a gift, or even create a canvas of a special print.
- Create an experience they can do together – What do your child and your ex enjoy doing together? It could be a spa day, fishing, dinner at a favorite restaurant, or game night at home – anything fun that encourages one-on-one time. Depending on the age of the child the gift might simply be a “coupon” for a mommy-daughter day or father-son day, for example.
- Make something – Homemade gifts are often some of the most special, especially when it’s something your child created. Michael’s has all kinds of crafting options for your child to consider. Instructional videos are online from beginner to advanced with supply lists included.
- Keep it practical – Often, practical gifts are overlooked as boring, but we think they can be a really thoughtful gift from your child to your ex. Perhaps a collection of coffee for their Keurig, small gift cards to their favorite lunch spot, a 2022 planner to keep them organized next year, or perhaps a pack of iPhone lightning cables (since they’re always losing theirs).
A Holiday Gift for Your Ex-Spouse from You
Go with us on this. No, we don’t expect you to buy your ex anything, but perhaps the greatest gift you can give to them (and they to you) is to be a good co-parent during the holidays and beyond. Some of the ways you can do this are to communicate regularly, work together to plan ahead, to be flexible and willing to compromise, to avoid competing with each other, to find a way to be civil when you’re together (which you likely will be at some point this time of year), and to agree to always put your children first.
That said, if despite your best efforts, co-parenting challenges remain, you might consider mediation in which a neutral third party helps you to work together to reach an amicable agreement. For additional information on how our online mediation services can help you with co-parenting over the holidays, contact our expert team today!
