Divorce is a tough transition in life. Raising healthy, loving, and secure children with your co-parents should be your priority despite your separation. However, it is not easy. Parents should talk and develop co-parenting tactics to keep everyone on the same page, even if you live separately.
Prioritize Your Child’s Needs
Whatever transpired between you and your ex shouldn’t come between you and your love for the children. Always prioritize your child’s welfare. Try to cooperate with your co-parent, even if it means getting help from a family law attorney.
Create A Co-parenting Schedule
Set rules and routines for your child-rearing schedule with your ex and a third party if necessary. Have a plan for birthdays, when and where to pick up the child, or how long you will introduce new partners. Sit down after some time and review the strategy.
Be Reachable By Your Co-Parent
It is okay to silence your phone once an ex calls. But, if you are co-parenting, communication is crucial. If you are available to talk, pick up the phone. If it’s a text concerning the kids, reply immediately. Your ex will appreciate it and follow suit if you communicate with respect and kindness.
Practice Self Care
Practice daily self-care tips as you navigate this difficult phase in your life. Try positive talk, exercises, massage, or grooming. Do anything that makes you happy and things that make you feel valuable. This way, your children will see you are okay and ready to take care of them. If you look unhappy, this may affect the children.
Avoid Badmouthing Your Ex
Parents should not speak ill about their co-parents in front of their kids. It’s easier to vent your anger at someone you no longer love, but the consequences may be severe. Negative words show disrespect and instill fear in your child. Children are a mix of two people, and if you can’t stand each other, that may affect their self-esteem.
Don’t Be Hard On Your Co-Parents
You may have a tight bedtime, no fast food, and a few hours of screen time daily for your children. However, your ex can take your children out for dinner and have all sorts of food. However, you can’t expect your co-parents to follow your guidelines, so try to relax and don’t question them whatsoever.
Plan About New Partners
As you and your ex-partner create new relationships, discuss their roles with your kids. However, many family advisers discourage a new partner’s involvement in a child’s life until the union is strong. With time, you’ll discuss how the new partners can contribute to the child’s related choices with your ex.
Be United For The Big Stuff
Co-parenting works best when both parents agree on the child’s conduct, playtime, housework, and personal cleanliness, among others. However, if your parenting styles weren’t the same before separation, it’s not easy to align now. If you share legal custody, agree on your child’s education, medical care, or religious upbringing. However, avoid major parental fights over everything and raise your kids in a supportive and calm environment.
Keep Children Away From Adult Matters
When someone is alone, a parent may treat their kids like adults and discuss adult matters like parenting and love. Let the kids be involved in children’s matters like choosing clothes, ice cream flavors, and favorite games. The choice of school, or where they’ll live should be parents’ choices. Giving too much power to the child may reduce respect for parents.
Co-parenting is a real struggle, especially getting along with your ex on matters concerning children. However, for the child’s sake, parents should communicate effectively, show their children love and, unite in every child’s welfare.
