Co-parenting after divorce is one of the best things parents can do for their children. Parents can work with their children’s other parents to establish responsibilities, obligations and daily schedules so each parent can still be a part of their children’s lives. The main purpose of this is often to create a stable life for children and maintain their well-being.
Co-parenting isn’t, however, without its difficulties. It can take some time for parents to adapt to a co-parenting lifestyle. One thing that can help both parents and children is to keep a neutral relationship with co-parents. Here’s how that can be done:
Don’t say anything negative about your co-parent
After divorce, there can be a lot of bitterness between parents. It’s often easy for a co-parent to target the other with their anger and frustrations. For the sake of keeping a neutral (and workable) co-parenting relationship, it may be best to put aside any differences.
Co-parents should consider refraining from saying anything negative about the other, even to friends and family. A parent may only upset or confuse their children if anything bad is said about the other co-parent. And, saying something to a friend or family member could somehow end up getting back to the co-parent, which could upset them.
An upset co-parent may be reluctant to make cooperative decisions and keep communication strong. It may also make it harder to work out future arrangements or accommodate changes in the schedule to meet evolving needs without a fight.
Talk about any challenges and necessary changes
Both co-parents should consider talking about what schedule works for them. A sudden doctor’s appointment, work schedule change or upcoming holiday may be something each parent mentions to the other so that adjustments to the co-parenting schedule don’t come as a surprise to the other.
When working out a parenting plan, it can help to understand your rights. Legal guidance can help you learn more.
