5 Suggestions for Effective Co-Parenting
As we well know, divorce and ending relationships involving children, is a difficult process. Often, and unfortunately, it may leave both parents with anger and resentment towards one another. It’s especially difficult on children because sometimes the kids don’t understand what’s happening and they blame themselves for the divorce or the separation. The best way to help your children through your split or your divorce is to make sure that the children continue to have a stable and loving relationship with both of their parents. This will go a long way to make the kids feel comfortable, secure, and happy. Although it may be difficult for separated or divorced parents, to communicate, it is important for the sake of the kids for the parents to learn to co-parent for the interests of their children. This can help eliminate the stress and guilt that comes with a divorce, that children often experience unnecessarily.
Some suggestions that I have to make co-parenting after a divorce or a split easier, more effective, and better for your children are as follows:
- Keep your communication civil with your ex-spouse and talk only about the children and their needs.
- Avoid fighting in front of the children. This adds tremendous stress to the children.
- Don’t put the kids in the middle of your issues and don’t make them messengers for your communications. Don’t tell a child to tell the parent one thing and then the other parent sends the child to tell the other parent another thing. Keep the children out of your issues as much as possible.
- Make sure that both parents continue to be involved in their children’s lives. Don’t let one parent not go to a sporting activity, for example, because the other parent will be there and you might end up fighting because you can’t get along. Try to work it out where you both can continue to be involved in the kids’ activities and in their lives.
- Don’t make the children feel guilty for having a good time when they go with the other parent. Don’t make them feel like there should be something wrong with them having a good time with the other parent.
- Overall, just remember that your children come first. And therefore, for their sake, try to have a civil and workable relationship with your ex, so that the children benefit from that and they don’t carry the stress and the guilt that many children experience after a divorce or their parents’ separation.
If you have questions about child custody, co-parenting, or other Family Law topics, set up a meeting with an experienced Family Law attorney to discuss your situation further. Our office can be reached at (702) 998-1188, info@ljlawlv.com, or by scheduling a consultation online.