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Making Co-Parenting Work for Your Kids
Your relationship with your ex-spouse might be strained after your divorce proceeding, especially if that divorce contained a lot of conflict and tension. As you transition to your new phase of life, it’s important to mind both your words and actions going forward, particularly if you have children.
Children are observant and what you do in their presence may impact their development, attitudes, and positions. Here are some ways to better your interactions with your ex-spouse around your children.
Stay Positive
If your ex-spouse is actively involved in the lives of your children, that likely means you will have to communicate, cooperate, and work together to handle issues regarding the care and wellbeing of your children.
Remembering those negative feelings from the divorce can cast a cloud of negativity and inhibit these interactions to the detriment of the children. Despite any negative feelings you may have about your ex, going into those interactions with a positive mindset greatly impact your communications.
Communicate With Kindness
While it may not be easy at times, particularly depending on how your relationship ended, ensuring that you are cordial during your interactions with your ex-spouse can go a long way on how that interaction impacts your children.
Whether you have to see your ex in person or whether it’s a phone call about picking up your children, it’s important to keep your conversations kind and tactful. The more kindness your children observe, the more kindness they will display in their own interactions.
Avoid Badmouthing
It can be very easy to find yourself speaking negatively about your ex when they are not around. However, it’s possible that your children could be in earshot of the conversation and may listen to what you are saying, whether you’re aware of their presence or not.
Badmouthing parents can start to impact how children view and treat parents. As tempting as it may be, try to avoid badmouthing your ex-spouse when they are not around.
Keep Your Children First
Remembering that your children may be watching, listening, and influenced by their surroundings should be motivation to attempt to keep any and all interactions with your ex as positive as possible.
Your custody and parenting time arrangement is centered upon the best interests of your children; holding on to that type of mindset and doing what’s best for your children can help you keep interactions positive while showing your children that their parents still love them and will work together for them.
Cleveland Custody Issues
Sometimes custody issues can arise after a divorce, such as parenting time issues or failure to abide by other terms of the custody agreement. If such things are occurring, it’s important to seek legal representation to uphold your rights. At Laubacher & Co., children come first. Our goal is to help you achieve the best possible solution to uphold your rights and the rights of your children.
If you have questions about custody issues or would like to speak with an attorney, call us at (440) 336-8687 or visit us online.