Thanksgiving and Black Friday are already in our rearview mirror for 2022 and we are going to blink and find ourselves tracking Santa's arrival! I cannot believe how fast time flies?!?
As a co-parent, you are likely planning for the holidays differently now that your child has two (or more homes). Hopefully you and your co-parent have followed my pre-Thanksgiving suggestion for confirming ALL of your holiday logistics in writing with your co-parent and, if so, now it is time to move on to the fun stuff!
Stockings in my house are usually full of little gifts from Santa and are not considered "big" gifts so a stocking can be the perfect place for the following life-changing "little" gifts for your child.....
1) IRON-ON NAME TAGS IN A SPECIAL COLOR. These iron-on, custom name labels for clothes will save you many headaches in 2023! All you need is a first name and a designated color for your child's clothes at your home. For example, labels that say "Annie" in bright pink to be ironed in the neck of all of the clothes that you want returned to your home after visits to the other co-parent. I regularly see co-parents upset about a special shirt, new shoes, a coat, a school uniform that has been left at the co-parents house and not returned to the original home. This will be especially helpful if there are any special new clothes items under the tree this year that you expect to be kept at your home when not being worn. Save you, your co-parent and your child future headaches and order your custom, name labels HERE.
2) TOILETRIES FOR EACH HOME. The holidays are the perfect time to refresh everyone's toothbrushes, hair brushes, favorite shampoo, conditioner and body wash, and if your child is a teenager, you can also refresh those shaving and feminine hygiene items. Walmart and Target have almost every kind of holiday toiletry KIT you can imagine so restock your child this year with a special set of EVERYTHING for the bathroom that can be left at your home (and if you are feeling particularly generous and can afford to do so, buy and wrap a second special kit to take to the other parent's home).
3) DESIGNATE A SPECIAL "TRAVEL" BACKPACK. Because there are almost always special/preferred/expensive items, for example eyeglasses/contacts and/or special athletic shoes, that must travel with the child every time between the two homes, designate a special, separate and easily recognizable backpack or small tote that your child will take to the other parent's home EVERY TIME. Keep the travel bag in a special place so whenever you find an item, like a uniform for sports events or even a random sock, at your home that belongs at the other home, put that item immediately into your child's travel bag immediately so that you know it will be returned at the next exchange. This is particularly helpful for children who wear a school uniform to one home on Friday after school that needs to be washed over the weekend and returned with the child on Sunday.
TRUST ME...these special little gift items WILL save you, your co-parent and your child from unnecessary hassles in the New Year. Happy shopping and holiday planning!