Holiday gift buying can be difficult if you don’t know what your co-parent will be buying your children. To stop the stress, it’s best to be on the same page well before the holidays. There are a few different steps to take when getting on the same page.
- Coordinate Gifts: This is the best way to make sure that there are no double purchases! If your child is giving the same list to both parents , it’s likely that there could be duplicate gifts. This can be entirely avoided by one simple step: dividing your child’s list between the two of you. Not only will this ensure that there are no duplicate presents, but it will also ensure that gift buying is “fair” amongst both parents.
- Coordinate Your Budget: Coordinating your budget is equally as important as coordinating which gifts you will buy. Coordinating your budget to be fairly equally between parents will ensure that there can be no competition when buying gifts. Additionally, it sets a limit for what is appropriate for your child and allows each parent to be on the same page with the other.
- Try Not to Undermine the Other Parent: If one parent would like to buy the child a present that the other parent does not find appropriate, try to come up with a solution that works for both of you. It’s best to have an honest and adult discussion on what is best for your child.
- Put Your Children First: This is the final and most important step! The holidays are the perfect time to enjoy the simple childhood joy of gift-giving and receiving. Put your children first in everything that you do and you and you co-parent will have a wonderful holiday season, together, with your children!
