After a divorce, trying to navigate the waters of successful co-parenting with your ex-spouse can be stressful. Luckily, there are four key tricks to ensure that you and your ex work as a team in putting the needs of your children as top priority.
- Pick your battles. You may have a different parenting style than your co-parent, and that’s perfectly okay. Understand that you may handle something differently than they do, and so long as it does not cause your child harm, differences are normal. Pick your battles based on what is truly important to you.
- Communicate directly to your co-parent. Do your best to avoid communicating to each other through the kids. Information can get misconstrued or misinterpreted, and the kids do not belong in the middle of your affairs.
- Respect your co-parent in front of your child. Speaking negatively of your co-parent to your child can possibly alienate the child from both parents because they will feel forced into choosing a side. Be civil in your disagreements with an ex to serve as a positive role model for your child.
- Have a set schedule. Children thrive on structure. While there may be disruptions in the schedule every now and then, work with your co-parent to avoid upsetting the schedule too often.
It may not always be smooth sailing with your co-parent. However, putting your past issues aside and working as a team will ensure the well-being of your kids in all areas of their lives.