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Sharing Birthday Parties After Divorce

on Monday, 24 January 2022.

Last weekend, celebrity Kanye West released a video claiming that he had not been told by his soon to be ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, the address of his daughter Chicago's birthday. In this video, he stated his concerns.

His fear was that if he was not able to attend his daughter's birthday this would imprint on his daughter that her father was not there on her special day.

Whilst Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's divorce will not be your 'typical divorce', this issue could arise for any separating couple.

Making a Plan

This publicised conflict should be taken as a reminder of the importance to think ahead and make arrangements for how special occasions will be handled in the future. We suggest creating a parenting plan. This is a written plan mutually agreed between parents to cover practical issues such as birthday parties.

You could consider:

  • agreeing to attend birthday parties together if you feel you can do this without conflict
  • having alternate years to celebrate your child's birthday
  • splitting the day in half

For any decision made, the priority should be your child and how you think they would best like to celebrate. It is important to make a record of the arrangements to help reduce the likelihood of disagreement in the coming years.

If a plan is not put in place beforehand, this may result in upset and frustration if one parent feels like they are left out.

What if We Cannot Agree?

In the event that parents are unable to reach a mutual agreement, one parent could make an application to the Court for a Specific Issue Order, This would allow the Court to decide how the child's birthday should be dealt with.

The decision to engage the Court to determine such disputes should not be taken lightly. Any litigation could create further conflict between parties. Litigation can also be very costly.

How Can We Help?

Ultimately, a child's birthday is an important day for them to feel special. Any dispute between their parents may have a negative impact on their wellbeing. If you are a separating parent and would like to discuss child arrangements, our team of family lawyers are here to help.


If you would like to talk to our team about any child arrangements such as birthdays, please contact our New Enquiries team on  020 7405 1234, or complete the form below.

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