Columbus Day. Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Some schools close, some don’t. Some call it a holiday, others treat it like any other Monday. But if your parenting plan doesn’t spell it out, and school is closed, you’re stuck playing catch-up on a day you didn’t see coming.

The truth is, these oddball holidays and teacher workdays are landmines for co-parents. Not because they’re important, but because no one plans for them. And when you don’t plan, someone ends up angry, scrambling, or calling a lawyer over something that could’ve been handled with one email.

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1. Know the School Calendar, Both of You

Most parenting plans don’t say a word about Columbus Day, in-service days, or professional development closings. So parents just assume. The problem? They usually assume differently.

Get the calendar from the school. Share it with the other parent. Highlight the weird days. Drop it into a shared app, group chat, or calendar. A little visibility goes a long way.

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2. Make a Plan Before the Night Before

If school’s out and one of you works that day, who’s watching the child? Do you swap days? Does the regular rotation apply? If it isn’t in the plan, you need a mutual agreement. And you need it in writing. Even a text will do.

These little days off are perfect breeding grounds for conflict when no one’s sure who’s supposed to do what.

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3. Help if You Can, But Don’t Use It as Leverage

If you’ve got the day off and the other parent doesn’t, be decent. Step in, offer to help, and don’t make a big production about it.

But don’t confuse stepping up with cashing in. Helping on Columbus Day doesn’t mean you get to keep the child for Halloween. Do it because it’s right, not because you think it gets you something later.

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4. Don’t Surprise Anyone with a New Pickup Person

Letting your new boyfriend or girlfriend handle pickup without talking to the other parent is a quick way to stir up conflict. If it’s your time, do the pickup yourself. Or ask first and get it in writing.

Even on minor holidays, the court order still controls. Show up, communicate, and keep it clean.

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Lawyer Bill’s Advice

These in-between holidays might not feel important, but they are where the cracks in your co-parenting plan will start to show. Take time now to get ahead of it.

Know the school schedule. Make a plan. Communicate it clearly. Put it in writing. That ten-minute effort saves a lot of tension down the line, and it keeps you from having to call someone like me over Columbus Day.