Going through a divorce with children is a difficult task. Not only do you have to care for yourself, but you need to do whatever it takes to shield your children from the stress and impact of the divorce process.
Once your marriage is officially in the past, you’ll turn your attention to co-parenting. While this works for many people, you may find it impossible to get along with your ex-spouse. In this case, parallel parenting is your next best option.
This allows both parents to maintain a strong and healthy relationship with their children, all without having to communicate with one another.
The key to success is to focus completely on the well-being of your children. Here are some tips you can follow:
- Develop a parenting plan: Both parents must be comfortable following it, so negotiate all the details.
- Cut back on communication: There may be times when you have no choice but to talk, but when all possible, you should reduce communication.
- Talk to your children: Many things are changing, but let your children know that they have two parents that love them.
- Talk about changes: If anything major will change for your children, such as their afterschool schedule, talk about it as far in advance as possible.
While co-parenting is preferred, there is nothing wrong with considering the benefits of parallel parenting.
Regardless of the approach you take, do whatever it takes to put your children above everything else. If your ex-spouse fights back in any way, learn more about your legal rights and the steps you can take to protect yourself and your children.