Any parent will tell you that parenting isn’t easy, including parents of newborns who’ve only had children for about an hour. Co-parenting with someone you’re no longer with can be even harder.
The good news is that this isn’t impossible, and it’s becoming less common. The divorce rate has been decreasing in the US, and it currently stands at 39%, give or take.
However, if you are among those raising a child with an ex, don’t despair. Co-parenting isn’t impossible, and it doesn’t have to be very difficult. There are plenty of co-parenting tips that can keep you and your children at your best. We’ll offer some of these tips in this article.
Contents
1. Communicate
This might sound like we’re playing Monday morning quarterback. If communication were that easy nobody would ever get divorced.
However, there is a factor that can make things easier in this case, which is detachment. Since you’re focusing only on the children means that your own personal emotions aren’t at stake.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t bring yourself or the other parent in. This isn’t about who’s a better parent. Being in the child’s life makes up for most shortcomings the other person may have.
2. Find a System to Balance Finances
Children are expensive, and making ends meet while finding meaningful time to spend with them can be a big cause of stress. Dividing up costs between both parents can make things easier for both of you.
Certain tough decisions will need to be made, such as who claims the kids on their taxes. In most cases, the primary custodial parent should claim the children.
The primary custodial parent will often be decided by a court. If you haven’t gone to court yet, you’ll need a good child custody lawyer.
3. Try to Avoid Court
While we’ve all seen divorce proceedings on TV, or heard about this week’s divorce trial of the decade on the news, the truth is that most divorces never go to court.
About 5% of divorce cases reach the court, and the rest are often settled outside of it. There are a lot of reasons for this, so many that there’s almost no benefit of going to court. It’s a long, expensive process that often leads to anger and hurt feelings.
Oftentimes, the best solution is to talk things over with your ex and try to find the best solution. You may need a mediator, but this doesn’t need to be a lawyer. It could be a mutual friend who’s willing to hear you both out and suggest a compromise.
Co-Parenting Tips for Raising a Child After Divorce
Figuring out co-parenting is one of the biggest challenges a person may face in their lifetime. That’s why we’ve offered some co-parenting tips to help.
We’ve discussed some of the most common factors, but each family has its own unique set of circumstances, so we could only get so specific. We encourage you to explore your own particular circumstances for additional help.
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