Co-parenting after divorce has the potential to stress you out. Not only are you concerned about the well-being of your children, but you’re also worried about getting into one argument after the next with your ex-spouse.
There are a variety of tips you can follow to ease the stress of co-parenting:
- Put your children first: If both you and your ex do this, there’s a greater chance of getting along. It also reduces the risk of putting your children in the middle, which is a source of many co-parenting arguments.
- Follow your parenting plan: You created a parenting plan to guide you through the many ups and downs of co-parenting. Turn to it any time you have questions about what you should and shouldn’t do in regard to raising your children. It’s the best guide you have.
- Don’t get in the way: When your ex is spending time with your children, stay out of the way. This is a good time for you to focus on yourself. If you get in the way, it will only anger your ex, thus increasing the risk of an argument.
- Talk it out: If you disagree about something, talk it out as opposed to sweeping it under the rug. It’s the only way to get past the issue, so you might as well bring it to light and see if you can find common ground.
- Find the best way to communicate: This differs from one situation to the next. Some people are okay with the idea of communicating in person and over the phone. Others realize that this will always cause an argument, so email and text messaging is best.
These are the types of tips you can use to ease the stress of co-parenting, which allows everyone involved to make the best of a challenging situation.
If your ex doesn’t care to follow the parenting plan and visitation schedule, talk to them about your concerns. A simple conversation may be enough to show them that you’re serious.
Should they continue to violate court orders, learn more about your legal rights, including your ability to request a child custody modification.