Parenting During a Divorce: How to Co-Parent Successfully

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Divorce is typically accompanied by tension and conflict. Many couples continue to fight through the proceedings and afterward when they share custody of their children. However, co-parenting should be, and can be, a relatively smooth and successful team approach by the divorced spouses to help the kids adjust to the new family arrangements.

Work Out a Parenting Agreement

Some family courts require divorcing couples to design a parenting agreement that gives them equal access to their children. The agreement also should divide the rights and responsibilities of the children’s care between the parents so that neither parent is favored over the other. Terms related to child support, custody arrangements, education decisions, religious affiliation, and other issues should be decided upfront so that everyone knows what to expect. If the court does not mandate this type of agreement, make one anyway that fairly shares access to and supervision of the children of the marriage.

Set Hostilities Aside

Although some couples part amicably, many or most deal with controversies when dividing assets and determining who pays what for the kids. Consider the parenting agreement as a contract that will enable both parents to spend quality time raising the children and ensure that the kids can benefit from the attention and care of each parent. Any rancor stemming from the divorce should be handled separately to ensure the kids have a peaceful and supportive upbringing by both parents.

Get Legal Advice

Many couples struggle with issues that they are unable to resolve between themselves. Consult an experienced legal firm like Brabazon Law Office, LLC for answers to your questions. Family law attorneys can help you develop a reasonable parenting agreement that provides quality care for your children with minimal stress for the parents. Visitation rights, vacation planning, and dividing household assets between the parents’ new homes can be managed efficiently and expertly.

Put the Children First

No matter what caused the divorce, the spouses should put their anger and frustration aside to focus on raising their children in a healthy environment. Criticizing the other parent or asking kids to spy on the other parent’s behavior is unethical and hurts the kids. Children love both parents and don’t want to be used as pawns against them. Ex-spouses should be at least neutral if they can’t be friendly and mutually supportive to give their children a safety net of stability while growing up after the parents get divorced.

Take a proactive approach to work with your ex to give kids the security they need for a happy, healthy childhood. With the help of a parenting agreement, mutual respect, and legal advice, you can sort through the issues and work with your ex to help your children adapt to their new lives following a family divorce.

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