Co-parenting your kids with your ex-spouse isn’t as strange as you think. In fact, between 40% to 50% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce, and many of those couples have kids together.

But now that you’re embracing your newfound co-parenting life, you and your ex can work together to make sure your kids have a great night trick-or-treating with their family and friends. To help you treat your kids to some stress-free fun, here are a few tricks to make this Halloween a special day for everyone:

  1. Make a plan. It’s all too easy to let your emotions get the better of you when tensions are high and you don’t know what to expect. Communicate with your ex about the upcoming holiday to create a game plan. Avoid leaving final decisions such as where your child will go trick-or-treating, who they’ll go with, and what the schedule will be at the last minute. This will only create anxiety for your child and for you.
  2. Considering splitting up the night. It can be difficult to go trick-or-treating as a co-parented family when you and your ex live in different neighborhoods. Consider making arrangements so your kids have the opportunity to trick-or-treat in both neighborhoods. This way no one feels left out and your kids will get double the candy.
  3. Split up the holiday responsibilities. If you and your ex aren’t on the best terms, you can still make sure your kids have a great time by splitting the holiday into separate events. For instance, your kids can costume shop with one parent and then carve pumpkins with another, or trick-or-treat with one parent and decorate the house with the other. This ensures your kids get to spend equal time with their parents.
  4. Let your kids know you’re okay if you spend the night alone. Your kids are empathetic people. You don’t want them to feel guilty if you find yourself spending Halloween night alone. Let your kids know that you’re okay so they feel comfortable enough to be happy spending time with their friends and other family members.

It can feel tricky to celebrate the holidays when you’re co-parenting your kids. But by following the tips above, you can do your best to make sure your kids have a great Halloween without letting the stress of trick-or-treating with your ex go to your head.