Divorce is an emotional and confusing time for your children. After your divorce, effective co-parenting is critical for their wellbeing. You and your ex-spouse will need to use patience and problem-solving to ensure you’re able to work together.
Common Co-Parenting Issues & How to Overcome Them
There’s bound to be some growing pains while you and your ex-spouse figure out what life looks like after divorce. After all, you’ll both need to coordinate schedules and make decisions regarding your children. This is where some of the most common co-parenting issues arise.
1. Negative Talk
Divorce is stressful, which often results in anger and heightened emotion. Some parents may be shocked to hear their child relay that their ex-spouse has been speaking negatively about them when they’re not around.
This type of behavior confuses your child and may leave them to feel at-fault. They may also feel the need to choose between their parents.
It’s important to keep the issues you have with your ex between the two of you. Don’t use your children as a buffer or expect them to relay messages on your behalf.
2. Schedule Changes
Two different schedules will need to entwine to meet the needs of your children. And when changes occur, it could result in less parenting time and frustration. It’s best to communicate schedule changes with your ex-spouse as far in advance as possible.
For example, if you wish to take your child on an extended vacation, discuss it with your ex first. If your work schedule changes, tell your ex as soon as possible. You can then work together to come up with a plan.
Some changes, such as work schedule changes, may necessitate a custody modification. Reach out to your attorney if you feel your custody or parenting plan needs to change.
3. Lack of Cooperation
Unfortunately, some couples find it difficult to co-parent. One ex-spouse may be completely uncooperative when it comes to communication and the parenting plan. If this is the case for you, it’s important to remember that you can’t control your ex’s actions—you can only control your own.
Disagreements will happen, especially at first. You should expect to work through them together by communicating and sharing your concerns. If your ex refuses to co-parent, we recommend reaching out to an attorney for help.
Call Schneider Law Firm, P.C. in Ft. Worth Today
The attorneys at Schneider Law Firm, P.C. have years of experience supporting clients going through divorce and co-parenting. To learn more about effective co-parenting or for support with custody modifications, give our Ft. Worth office a call at 817-755-1852 or send us a message.
