Co-Parenting After Divorce

Co-parenting refers to how you and your ex communicate concerning your children.

Although you may already be divorced or will soon be divorced, you have to establish a healthy working relationship with your spouse in order to raise happy and well adjusted children.  This takes a lot of work and patience on the part of both parents.

Here are some tips for successful co-parenting:

1. Make it Habit to Keep Your Ex Informed.  Be sure to communicate with your ex about any important having to do with the children,  This includes issues at school, doctors, dentist and orthodontist visits, extracurricular activities and other significant milestones for your children.

2. Be Inclusive Whenever Possible.  This means include your ex unless it would be uncomfortable,  You can sit near one another at your children's events, attend parent teacher meetings together and celebrate the major events in your child's life together.  The best co-parents are able to be in the same room, be able to communicate freely and be cordial because they understand how important it is for your child's mental health and well being. 

3. Exercise Restraint in All Communications.  Avoid trying to tell your ex what to do.  Instead, invite your ex's opinion and genuinely take into account their viewpoint.  Try not to be critical of your ex's parenting style and do your best to work toward a unified and consistent parenting approach with your children.  While there are bound to be disagreements, don't let them snowball into major areas of contention.  Keep in mind that your goal is to work together for the benefit of your children.

4. Be Flexible. It's easy to rigidly adhere to a schedule but oftentimes not the right thing to do.  Judge's appreciate parents who will make a schedule change from time to time to accommodate the other parent.  Establishing a baseline of cooperation will encourage your ex to do the same when you need your ex to be flexible.

5. Put on a Good Front.  It may be difficult or even uncomfortable to see your ex with his or her new spouse, new home or new car but you need to accept that you have both changed and new to deal with each other's changed circumstances. Letting go of the past is essential to a good relationship with your ex.

Establishing a good co-parenting relationship from the start, you will make life easier for yourself and your children and will be appreciated by the Judge if you end up back in court.

Contact our experienced Georgia family lawyers for more information on how you can successfully co-parent with your ex.