Contact Counts – But Christmas Doesn’t Have To Be On December 25th

When you’ve presents to buy, food to prepare and a family to keep happy over the Christmas holidays, the Big Day can become quite a stressful affair! And when you’re a separated parent wanting to share time with your kids at Christmas, things can become even more of a strain. But national charity Parentline Plus is offering information and support to help make contact less complicated this Christmas.

“This is the first time my kids will not be spending Christmas day with both their mum and dad. I’m having the kids for the day but their father doesn’t want them to miss out on having Christmas with him too – what can we do?”

Call received at Parentline Plus.

Thousands of children experience the break up of their families every year, with the latest census revealing that almost one in ten households in England and Wales are lone-parent. The break-up of a family can be traumatic for both parents and children, and research shows that where it is safe, continued contact between the child and the family members who are no longer living with them is important to their well-being.

With this in mind, Parentline Plus recommends that parents negotiate the time spent with their children over Christmas and to involve children in those plans. It’s not just what’s convenient for the parents – children need to be happy with those arrangements too. Parentline Plus offers some tips for families who have undergone change this Christmas –

· If you aren’t spending Christmas day with your children, suggest having your own special Christmas day on a different date whereby you get to do all the things you would normally do on the day but do it a few days before or after Christmas day.

• Kids can feel very strongly about keeping family traditions, but if you do this, they may feel desperately sad, as their family has changed. So if you are spending Christmas day with your children try to agree a new tradition and way to spend the day that gives each person at least something of what they want.
  
  
• Start planning how you will spend the time early so that you can include other family members in your Christmas plans. Children need continuing contact with grandparents, aunts and uncles from both sides of the family.
  

(For a full list of top tips parents can visit www.parentlineplus.org.uk)

‘The thousands of calls made to Parentline Plus’ helpline, reveals the need for family support through separation has never been greater’, says Dorit Braun, chief executive of Parentline Plus, ‘this time of year can cause particular stress for families but our call takers all have experience of parenting and are there for any parent needing support this Christmas.’