Five Tips for Co-Parenting Following a Divorce
Co-parenting with your former spouse is often one of the most difficult issues to deal with after a divorce. It is something that you need to prepare for properly because nothing should come before your child’s physical and emotional well-being. You need to be ready to take on the challenges that come with co-parenting. To help you prepare, our Orlando child custody legal team has put together a list of five important co-parenting tips.
- Think About Logistics – Make a Plan
When it comes to co-parenting, all couples must deal with their own unique set of challenges. One of the best things you can do to make the process work better is to identify potential problems ahead of time and make a workable time-sharing plan. Most divorced parents end up in conflicts over logistics and other similar issues. By making a plan that includes a comprehensive schedule, you will be able to eliminate a common source of stress for divorced parents.
- Strive for Cooperation
No matter how you may feel about your ex, you have a shared interest in parenting. For the best interests of your children, you need to do what you can to emphasize cooperation. Of course, effective cooperation is not necessarily going to be easy. In fact, it is not always going to be possible. Still, a cooperative mindset is the appropriate mindset when thinking about shared parenting arrangements.
- Work on Your Communication
The key to effective cooperation is good communication. Do what you can to make your communication with your former partner more effective. Once again, this is not going to be an easy task. But, with good communication you can move your relationship with your former spouse to one that will be workable and supportive for your child.
- Develop a Support Group
As a parent, you are not in this alone. Co-parenting can be tough, and you need a good support group that you can rely on in times of need. You may want to get support from your friends, family members, the family members of your spouse or even a therapist or other relationship professional. The bottom line: Do not be afraid to ask for some help.
- Do Not Allow Problems to Persist
Finally, if your former spouse is causing problems, you need to take action. If you allow problems to persist, they are along going to grow and become even more pernicious. For example, if you have a child visitation schedule, and your ex repeatedly violates the terms of that arrangement or court order, you need to address the issue. At first, an informal conversation may be the best approach. Though, if the problem remains, legal action should be considered.
Contact Our Family Law Team Today
At the Law Offices of Steve W. Marsee, P.A., we are committed to supporting the rights of parents in Central Florida. If you are a parent in need of any type of family law assistance, our team is ready to help. Our office is located in Orlando and we represent clients throughout Orange County, including in Edgewood, Eatonville and Windermere.
