by Tim Hackes
If you’re a parent either at the beginning or finalizing a
divorce, then you are most likely about to embark on a new journey – the
journey of a co-parent. And, while you might not feel like parenting as a
couple or parenting as co-parents is all that different, co-parents must endure
certain challenges that married parents do not.
As a co-parent you have to deal with sharing time with your
child, less communication with your child’s other parent, and you have the
Family Court to answer to. The good news is all of this can make you an even
better parent if you choose to work at it.
3 Tips for Successful Co-Parenting
Co-parenting is definitely going to require some
adjustments. Here are a few ways to make the adjustments that will be best for
you and your child.
Think Positively -
A necessity for any Idaho couple seeking a divorce with
children is that they must have a custody and visitation schedule. You have the option to work with
the other parent to create one, or you can instead rely on the family court
system to do so.
While many parents in heated divorce battles try and use
this part of the process to attack their soon-to-be ex-spouse, such as trying
to unfairly arrange time spent with the children or refusing to compromise on
provisions the other parent feels are the most important, this isn’t in the
best interest of your child. Thinking positively for the sake of you child
instead of trying to attack your spouse is a much better path to take.
Your child and the court system will both be able to see the
difference.
Understand it’s a Team Effort
If you’re in a co-parenting situation, it’s pretty safe to
say you and your child’s other parent did not make a great couple. That doesn’t
mean you can’t make a great team.
Unless there are some extreme circumstances, you will have
some form of joint custody. You won’t be with your child 100% of the time. By
working with your former spouse instead of opposing them as far as the parenting plan and custody schedule
go, you’ll develop a plan that suits the needs of your child much better.
Lead by Example
It’s very easy to get emotionally overrun during a divorce. It’s
also easy to constantly belittle your spouse. That might not be the best
approach as far as your child’s wellbeing goes.
While you may not get along with your spouse, they are still
your child’s other parent. By relentlessly attacking them you degrade their
authority in the eyes of your children. And, if you realize that working as a
team is the best path forward, then treat your spouse with the respect
deserving of a parent.
Co-parenting, as the name suggests, is about two parents
working together in the best interests of their children. It’s not always the
easiest thing for both parents to do, especially since these same two people
had enough friction between them to lead to a divorce. However, both parents
also hopefully have the same goal, which is raising happy and healthy children.
By putting your children first, working as a team, and
acting like the role model you are, you’re on your way to being a successful
co-parent and co-parenting duo.
For more information, please see https://www.custodyxchange
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