You might hope that the conflict associated with your marriage dissolution will resolve once your divorce decree is issued, but that’s not always the case. Former spouses who have children in common often find themselves facing uphill co-parenting battles, which can become highly confrontational, stressful and contrary to a child’s best interests. As overwhelming as that can be, you don’t have to accept such a co-parenting outcome. Instead, you can diligently work to build an effective co-parenting relationship that works for everyone involved.
Tips for establishing a strong and effective co-parenting relationship
Even if it seems like all hope is lost in your co-parenting relationship, there are tips you can implement to make your custody arrangement more manageable and less conflict-ridden. This includes:
- Finding a way to communicate that reduces misunderstandings and eliminates back-and-forth conversations that lead to arguments.
- Avoiding attacking the other parent or dragging up events from the past.
- Keeping your children out of the middle of any disagreements.
- Listening to the other parent’s concerns so that you can have meaningful conversations about them and the other parent feels heard.
- Keeping the other parent informed about what’s going on with your child and how they can be involved.
- Attempting to establish consistencies between the two households.
What if these tips don’t work?
If, despite your best efforts, your co-parenting relationship continues to flounder, then it might be time to consider a custody modification, especially if the existing arrangement is proving harmful to your child. Before taking that step, though, you need evidence to show why your proposal is in your child’s best interests. If that’s something that you need assistance with, then now is the time to seek out any guidance you may need.
