“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” –H elen K eller
A pple C ranberry C risp
B eyond B orders How everyone will spend the holidays is often a contentious issue in custody disputes. That is truly the case when international visitation is involved. Having your child in a different house for Christmas or Hanukkah is one thing, but another country can feel like an entirely different matter. Thankfully, the U.S. is the only country that celebrates Thanksgiving when we do. So, the child will naturally celebrate that holiday with the American parent. Right? In many cases, yes. But in others, the different holiday schedules across countries complicate matters. An American parent may want their child to be with them for Thanksgiving, but that might be tricky if the child lives abroad. They’ll likely have school — unless a holiday in their primary country of residence happens to coincide with Thanksgiving. If it does, it poses a new problem of which holiday takes precedence. Noncustodial parents who live abroad will have similar issues. Other countries have countless holidays we don’t celebrate, some involving extensive time off work and school. Chinese New Year may matter deeply to the noncustodial parent, but the child probably won’t be available to celebrate it. It’s especially troublesome because parents often want to make the most of their time away from work by spending it with their children. Matters get even more interesting when we consider countries south of the equator. In South America, Africa, and Australia, their winter takes place during our summer and vice versa. Children with parents in different countries typically spend their summer vacations with the noncustodial parent, so whichever way the kid heads, there will be an adjustment. Unfortunately, the noncustodial parent may not be able to spend as much time with their child as they could have if the seasons lined up. So, how do we handle these challenges? Simply put, everyone should try to be flexible. These conflicts aren’t anyone’s fault, and both parents only want to spend meaningful time with their kids. Co-parents must be mindful of the differences and adjust their expectations accordingly. It’s even more important to be creative. You can let the different holiday schedules ruin the event or find ways to work beyond the limitations. Even if you need to celebrate Thanksgiving late or turn summer vacation into a ski trip, you can still make the most of your time together. INTERNATIONAL VISITATION AND HOLIDAYS
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
I ngredients
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3 cups peeled and chopped tart apples
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1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 cups cranberries
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter, cold
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
D irections 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, 1/4 cup brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. 3. Grease an 8-inch baking dish and pour the mixture into it. 4. In a small bowl, mix flour and the remaining brown sugar. Cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle this over the fruit. 5. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
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