Action movie star Bruce Willis has taken multiple vacations with his ex-wife, and other divorced couples are beginning to vacation together.While this type of closeness is not advisable for all divorced couples, it can be both emotionally and financially beneficial. Some couples that have vacationed together after divorce have said that the joint vacations were a great way to save money and provide excellent memories for their children. Parents have said that the joint vacations were less stressful since there was another parent to help care for the children.
Actress Meredith Morton is another advocate of joint vacations. At the time of her 2004 divorce, her son was less than a year old. The former couple decided to continue their family vacations so that they could both be available to experience their son's "firsts." Both have since remarried but they continue to take joint vacations, bringing along their new spouses.
Beverly Hills psychologist Fran Walfish said that she supports joint vacations. However, Walfish cautioned that children with divorced parents sometimes fantasize that their parents will reunite, and joint vacations could feed into that hope. She encourages parents to let children know that the trip is a special event that both parents wanted to be a part of but that it does not mean that the parents are back together.
It is recommended that former couples negotiate the terms of the trip ahead of time so that there are no issues during or after the vacation. For example, deciding who will pay for what expenses during the trip will prevent potential arguments afterward.
If the former couple is amicable and can agree on the financial terms of the trip, joint vacations can be an enjoyable experience for the children and the parents.
Source: USA Today, "Divorce-cations? Split couples travel together for the kids," Karen Schwartz, 3/19/2011
