Struggling marriages can feel like a prison to some; allowing both spouses to divorce and go their separate ways can be the best solution so they can tend to their individual needs. When you have minor children, a divorce can prove to be a lot more challenging.
However, when you become a divorced parent, chances are, you would like to continue interacting with your children and with custodial and visitation arrangements; that also comes with working together with your ex as a co-parent.
Creating an effective co-parenting plan with your ex can become quite tricky, especially if your ex harbors ill feelings toward you. Consider the following tips to help you overcome the tense emotions of co-parenting to give your children the best possible environment:
No ill feelings toward your co-parent should be present when talking to your children.
Keep in mind that any feelings you have toward your co-parent have nothing to do with how you should interact with your children. Refuse to talk negatively about your co-parent in front of your children. Your children have the right to build upon their relationships with both parents, it would be best not to come in between that.
Communication with Co-Parent
Look, being your co-parent’s best friend is not going to happen. However, it’s crucial to be able to have amicable communication. Try establishing a more business-like relationship between you and your co-parent; imagine you’re both working for the same client and you have the shared goal of doing anything that is in the best interest of this client (your children). Attempting something like this could help the urge to get caught up in all the tense emotions between you and your co-parent.
Help your children between homes.
The children will likely be traveling back and forth between two or more homes. Consider making an extra effort to drop your children off, rather than waiting until the co-parent comes to pick them up. In this way, you avoid sending out messages to your children that they are being “taken away.” Try sending out messages that you are trying to collaborate with one another.
For the benefit of your children.
While building a genuine co-parent relationship that is both smooth and collaborative can be trying at times, hopefully, these tips may help ease your journey. It’s important to remember that you are doing this in an effort to protect your child’s best interests above anything else.