Effective Co-Parenting Requires Dedication and Cooperation

 Posted on March 08, 2016 in Child Custody

If you are a parent, the decision to divorce your spouse or to break up with your child’s other parent will have an effect on more than just the two of you. Your children and the stability of their lives are also likely to be greatly impacted. While things may never be the same for your children as they were during your marriage, it does not mean things will necessarily be worse, just different. As you and the other parent look toward the future, there are some things you can do to help build a positive foundation for co-parenting together for years to come.

Find Common Ground

Every element of effective co-parenting is dependent upon your ability to communicate with your child’s other parent, despite the issues that may have driven you apart. More than likely, the two of you still have a great deal in common, and, at the very least, you both want what is best for your child. Using that as a basis, begin developing a parenting plan around the elements upon which you can agree, including who will be responsible for the majority of the parenting time, which school your child will attend and other fairly straightforward considerations.

Decide How to Decide

The flipside of finding common ground is identifying potential sources of problems and creating a system for resolving your differences. This could be as simple as recognizing that text or email communication is more efficient than actually speaking, or vice versa. You and the other parent probably do not have any desire to run back to court every time you disagree on a particular decision, so you will need to come up with a reasonable alternative that suits you both.

Assume the Best

While you may not be inclined to trust your former partner very much, assuming that he or she is being intentionally difficult or problematic will only cause additional problems. It is important for you to be realistic about your expectations, but, unless proven otherwise, presume that the other parent has the best intentions regarding your child and the co-parenting relationship with you. You will likely find that not only will your stress levels and anxiety be reduced, but that co-parenting with your ex will actually get easier when you are not projecting negativity.

Parenting Plan Professionals

To learn more about co-parenting, or for assistance with developing a comprehensive parenting plan, contact an experienced Lombard family law attorney. We will help you understand your parental rights under the law and work with you in creating a co-parenting agreement that fully meets your child’s needs as well as your own. Call 630-426-0196 to schedule a consultation with A. Traub & Associates today.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/co-parenting-after-divorce/201411/what-makes-successful-co-parenting-after-divorce

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-covy/10-tips-for-how-to-co-parent-without-killing-your-ex_b_9266744.html