In many cases, physical and legal custody of children gets divided between their parents after a divorce. When they share custody, this means that the parents need to continue working together as co-parents, even after their marriage ends.
This can be challenging for a number of reasons, but there are steps that parents can take to make it go smoothly. Here are three tips to keep in mind.
1. Create a co-parenting plan
First and foremost, it’s good to have a parenting plan, especially to address major issues. Where is your child going to go to school? When do you make child custody exchanges? What type of medical care should they get? You need to consider the custody order that the court handed down and the parenting plan that you made together.
2. Accept your differences
It can also help just to accept that the two of you are going to have different standards in some areas. The parenting plan can mandate certain things, but you don’t have to have the exact same parenting style. Your former spouse may not give the children a curfew or a bedtime, for example, but you do. Co-parents need to avoid conflict by learning to accept these differences.
3. Put the children first
Finally, one of the best things to do is to always focus on putting your children first. When you and your co-parent make decisions, try to determine what would be in the child’s best interests. It’s easier for the two of you to get along after a divorce if you feel like you’re both focusing on your child’s needs and interests, not your own.
If you’re in a complicated situation with your co-parent, be sure you always know what legal rights and options you have.