Tips for Co-Parenting After Divorce

 Posted on November 16, 2018 in Family Law

Divorce is emotional and stressful for all parties involved but can be especially hard on children. Parents separating brings up a whole range of feelings for the children, such as anger, sadness, and guilt. When a couple is going through the divorce process, it is important to try to make it as easy as possible for the child. Co-parenting can often help with the sudden change. Co-parenting occurs when divorced parents share the responsibility of raising the child. In order for co-parenting to work, you and your ex need to be on the same page when it comes to raising the child. Being on the same page will be much easier if you follow these tips.

Set Rules and Stick to Them

Both parents need to agree on a set of rules and stick to them as a unified front. Having one parent enforce a rule while the other does not leads to confusion and for the child. It also makes one parent appear more strict than the other and can lead to resentment and excuses when trying to enforce the rules that are set forth.

Never Badmouth Your Ex in Front of Your Child

There is a reason you and your ex went through the divorce process, but belittling or talking about their faults in an emotionally charged way is not going to be good for your child. It can affect the child’s perception of them as well as their perception of you in a negative manner and make them feel helpless.

Discuss, Not Accuse

Presenting a united front to a child is much harder if you and your ex are accusing each other of doing things and using your emotions before your brain. No matter how angry something might make you it is important to discuss the situation and each other’s feelings instead of making accusations. It is crucial to remember you are both together when it comes to raising your child and finger pointing is not beneficial to anyone.

Be Positive

Pointing out good qualities about your ex helps children realize that even if people have differences, they can still work together and have some type of relationship. Recognizing that each person has different strengths shows your child that it is important that they see the positives in people as well.

Communication

Co-parenting will be challenging. It is entirely possible that you and your ex will have different ideas about raising your child. Communication is needed during this process so you can make sure that each person is fully aware of what is happening in your lives that could explain changes in behavior or certain emotions. Surprises can cause people to react without thinking, which is not advantageous when raising a child.

Contact Our Experienced Lombard Divorce Attorneys

If you need assistance with your divorce case and making sure your interests are properly represented, contact our skilled DuPage County divorce lawyers at Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices for a free initial consultation today at 630-932-9100.

Source:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/two-takes-depression/201203/the-dos-and-donts-co-parenting-well