Going through a divorce can cause a lot of stress on everyone involved, including any children the couple may have. As the parents’ top priorities should be the well-being of their children, they should work on making the process as smooth and stress free as possible through effective co-parenting. The following offers some tips on establishing an effective co-parenting relationship.
Although it can be difficult to work with the other parent through the divorce process and post-divorce, parents will do well to develop an effective co-parenting plan that fosters an amicable or, at least, civil relationship between the parents. Some tips include the following:
- Keep an eye on the future – Parents should set aside negative feelings toward their spouses and focus on what is best for the children long term. They need to look toward the future and how each parent will support his or her children as they grow and mature.
- Foster effective communication – When two parents have to work together to continue to raise their children after a divorce, they must establish open lines of communication with each other and not resort to name-calling or negativity toward the other parent. Otherwise, it can lead to parental alienation against the other parent.
- Establish consistent rules and routines – Children do better when they have regular routines and schedules. Parents who have divorced should establish similar rules and routines (as well as consequences) in both households to help provide some stability in the children’s lives.
- Making a plan for transitions – Since the children will now divide their time between two households, parents should come up with ways to smooth the transition to mitigate any potential disruption in the children’s’ lives.
Develop a parenting plan
Although it may be difficult to work with the other parent sometimes, each party must remember the needs and best interests of the kids and develop a solid parenting plan that addresses the various aspects of co-parenting. Any parenting plan will have various aspects to consider, but it two divorcing parties can work together, they can come up with a plan that works for all involved. They can also work with an experienced family law attorney for assistance in making the best-informed decisions.
