Co-parenting following a divorce can be difficult. Parents who just went through the emotionally exhausting process of splitting up and dividing their property must continue to work together to share the work of parenting their children. Sometimes they never want to see each other again, but they must do so in their children’s best interests.
None of this is easy, but many divorced parents do it every day in Texas. When both parents are committed to doing what’s best for their children, they can make co-parenting work for everyone involved.
Open dialogue
There are several tactics that may help make co-parenting easier including:
- Commit to an open dialogue: Communication can be key when co-parenting so it is helpful for divorced parents to find the best communication method for them so they can share schedules and concerns that may come up.
- Consistent rules: It is best for the rules to be consistent in both households which will require that the rules are agreed upon by both parents. Because routine and structure are important for children, consistent enforcement is important too.
- Consistent boundaries: Consistency is also important for children so parents should agree on boundaries and behavioral guidelines.
- Agree to positive talk: Parents should not speak disparagingly about the other in front of the children.
- Create an extended family plan: It is helpful to create a shared and agreed upon plan for how time will be spent with extended family members.
- Keep updated: Parents should keep each other updated about their lives so that children do not have to serve in the role of providing that information. Updates about what is going on in the child’s life should also be shared.
Co-parenting can be tough but figuring out how to successfully co-parent can be beneficial and worth it for the children and parents. The family law system provides tools and resources to help parents address their child custody concerns as their children grow and they co-parent together following divorce.