Danica McKellar says holiday co-parenting has become an unexpectedly positive part of her family life after divorce. The actress revealed that she now celebrates major holidays with her ex-husband, Mike Verta, his wife, Laura Beth, her current husband, Scott Sveslosky, and the son she shares with Verta, Draco.
The arrangement looks very different from the difficult first holiday season McKellar experienced after her split. Her latest comments show how the former couple’s relationship has evolved from a painful separation into a close blended-family routine.
Danica McKellar Says The Holidays Now Include Everyone
McKellar told People that she and Verta now alternate Thanksgiving and Christmas each year with their spouses and 16-year-old son. Rather than dividing the holidays into completely separate celebrations, the families spend them together.
That means McKellar’s husband, Sveslosky, and Verta’s wife, Laura Beth, are also part of the tradition. The actress described the arrangement as something that developed over time rather than something that came easily from the beginning.
She and Verta married in 2009 and welcomed Draco in 2010 before separating in 2012. Their divorce was finalized in 2013. McKellar later married Sveslosky in 2014.
Her First Thanksgiving After The Split Was Very Different
McKellar admitted that the first Thanksgiving after her separation from Verta was painful. She recalled feeling uncomfortable and emotionally overwhelmed while trying to navigate the new family dynamic.
At one point, she said she kept washing dishes because she did not know what else to do with herself. The memory stands in sharp contrast to the way the family now handles the holidays.
McKellar said the arrangement became easier as everyone adjusted and learned how to coexist as an extended family. She also shared advice for others navigating similar situations, urging people to keep things simple, avoid gossip and assumptions, and do kind things without expecting anything in return.
McKellar has previously made clear that her son remains central to her family life. EntertainmentNow reported on a rare red-carpet appearance she made with Draco earlier this year.
Mike Verta Is Still Part Of McKellar’s Creative Life
Their relationship now extends beyond co-parenting. Verta, who is a composer, also contributed music to McKellar’s upcoming Great American Family movie, “The Greatest Christmas Gift.”
According to People, Verta composed and recorded piano pieces for the film and then helped McKellar learn how to perform them convincingly onscreen. That collaboration added another layer to their post-divorce relationship. McKellar said Draco also sometimes weighs in on her projects and gives her feedback on movie edits.
EntertainmentNow previously reported on McKellar’s continued work with Great American Family after leaving Hallmark, where she had been one of the network’s most recognizable holiday movie stars. She also has another Great American Family holiday movie, “The Christmas Yes List”, premiering this season.
Danica McKellar Says The Family Has Found What Works
The blended holiday tradition does not erase how difficult the divorce was at the time. But McKellar’s latest comments show how much the relationship has changed since then.
She and Verta have moved from navigating an emotionally difficult split to sharing Thanksgiving and Christmas with their current spouses and son. The setup is unusual, but McKellar appears to view it as a positive part of the family life they have built around Draco.
Her comments also offer a different picture of celebrity divorce than the conflict-heavy stories that often dominate headlines. For McKellar, the holidays now appear to be less about dividing time and more about keeping the family connected.
That makes Danica McKellar’s holiday co-parenting notable because of how far the family has come from that difficult first Thanksgiving.
Danica McKellar Reveals Unexpected Holiday Tradition With Her Ex