Co-Parenting Guide
Divorced parents almost always find the issue of co-parenting as one of the challenges of all in their new and uncharted relationship. In every case, children suffer as a result of a divorce.
Mom and dad often struggle with feelings of competitiveness, frustration, and misunderstanding. Co-parenting in two different households was not what they signed up for when they decided to have kids.
Everything about the co-parenting relationship is filled with challenges. In many cases, parents find a way to successfully co-parent after a divorce.
Whether the parents have joint custody, or whether one is the custodial parent and the other is not, some careful planning and an effort to put the good of the children first can help create a more successful experience with co-parenting.
Useful Co-Parenting Tips
Your Children’s Needs Come First
Whatever your issues are with your co-parent, put your children’s well-being on the front always. Making your children’s security and sense of stability a priority is key to a “successful” divorce. So do whatever it takes to place them first, even if this means working with a family therapist to help you.
Make an Effort to be Positive
Highlight your co-parent’s good points in your children’s presence. Always tells the children children that despite your separation, you can still see the valuable things that your co-parent brings to the family. This makes the children feel safe, and feel like they too can freely speak well of the parent that isn’t present and not hurt your feelings.
Find Forgiveness
Forgiveness is powerful, and it takes a strong person to forgive. When you are in the midst of a divorce, but once you are further away from this life-impacting event, work on forgiving yourself and your former spouse. It will help you in your healing and will show the children a powerful lesson.
Empathy First
In the early days of divorce, it will be hard to be empathetic towards your co-parent. So direct your empathy towards your children. Imagine you are your child, listening to that conversation. Imagining their reaction to being a witness to this type of disagreement will be enough to help stop you from making that call. Then you will be able to communicate what you need by using other means that shield your children from any conflict that may ensue. (Source- Google)