May Day for Children After Divorce

May Day (known as Early May Bank Holiday in Scotland) is on the first Monday of May.

May Day is thought to have started in ancient Rome as a celebration of fertility and the beginning of summer. Today, it's used to campaign for workers' rights (mainly in London) and to welcome the warmer weather with family and friends.

However you choose to spend this bank holiday, it will mean a Monday off school for your school-age kids. If you are divorced, this requires advanced planning with the other parent.

Look at the ideas below to help you create a comprehensive residence and contact schedule that includes May Day.

May Day scheduling options

Give the day to one parent

You could designate May Day to one parent. This is perfect if only one parent gets the day off or has special plans for the long weekend.

You might let the other parent spend a day with the kids beforehand or afterward to even things out.

Alternate yearly

Another option is to alternate who gets May Day depending on whether it's an even-or odd-numbered year.

Alternate holidays within a year

Similarly, you could alternate who gets the bank holidays within a year. If Mum gets May Day, then Dad would get Spring Bank Holiday and so on. The rotation might stay the same every year or shift.

Split the day

To make a schedule for a shared-parenting arrangements, you could let the kids enjoy the first part of the bank holiday with one parent and the latter part with the other. In this example, the kids are with Dad from 08:00 to 14:00 and with Mum from 14:00 to 20:00.

Celebrate together

Parents who get along may choose to celebrate the holiday together. This is a great option for newly-divorced parents; celebrating like you did before the split can give your children a reassuring sense of consistency.

The easiest way to make a holiday contact schedule

There's a lot to think about when you build a holiday schedule. You'll want it to address weekend and midweek holidays, reflect special occasions unique to your family (like birthdays) and work for years to come.

The Custody X Change app makes it easy. Just open your Custody X Change calendar and follow our steps to make a holiday schedule.

To make a residence and contact schedule schedule quickly and affordably, turn to Custody X Change. In no time, you'll have written and visual versions that include the holidays you care about.