You know that you want to put your children first after the divorce. You also know that you’re going to share custody with your ex. This means that you’re going to be co-parents.
Co-parenting can be difficult, but there are ways to make it easier. Here are a few tips that can help as you move on into the next stage in your life.
Put the children first
First and foremost, continue to put your children first with every decision that you make. Even if you and your ex can’t agree on things, if both of you can agree to make the best decisions for the children, then you will often be on the same page.
Keep disagreements away from the kids
There will be times when you’ll disagree on something, whether it’s as minor as a scheduling issue or as major as potential medical treatment. If you need to have a discussion about this, it’s best to do it away from the children. You want to present a unified front to them, even if the two of you have to work through some of these issues on your own.
Be willing to compromise
When these disagreements come up, it’s also important that you know when it’s wise to just compromise and seek a solution, even if that solution isn’t 100% what you would have wanted. There are situations in which it’s just impossible for both of you to get exactly what you’re after, so compromise is necessary.
Focus on communication
Finally, communication is a critical part of co-parenting. You and your ex need to be able to talk about the children, about important decisions to make, about their schedules and much more. It can sometimes help to explore alternative ways to communicate if it’s too difficult to talk in person, such as talking through email or by text.
These tips can help you get started, but make sure you’re also well aware of your legal rights as a parent and what steps you need to take to define these along with your parenting agreement.