In my last blog, What do Children Really Want for Christmas? I mentioned that what children of separated  parents want most is for their mum and dad to get on and not fight. Of course, most children also like to get things. The perfect Christmas gift for a child  will depend on their age and interests. But what can make Christmas truly special is a gift from their parents together – a joint gift.

It doesn’t have to be huge or expensive

It’s not really important what the gift is. What makes it valuable is that it’s from Mum and Dad – together. Even though they don’t live together any more, they’ve organised the gift together. They’ve thought about it, talked about it and bought it together. That’s a precious gift. Especially if things have been tough – and separation is tough.

Sharing the cost

Separation means the doubling of many expenses. Parents need two homes with two sets of bills. There’s often additional childcare costs and so on. A joint present can have the added benefit of easing the financial burden. If your relationship with your ex hasn’t been great, why not take the moral high ground and initiate the joint present conversation. You’ll feel better for it and more importantly, your child will feel better for it too.