A co-parenting arrangement is often seen as being a good option for children since they get to have meaningful relationships with both parents. The parents work as a team to raise the children, which enables the child to enjoy consistency and stability. Making the transition from a married couple to a divorced co-parenting team isn’t done without some effort, however.
One of the most important things to remember during this transition is that your children shouldn’t have to choose between their parents. Instead, both parents should be active parts of the child’s life. While some parents might think that they’re making things easier on the child by asking them where they want to live, this can put the kids in a rough spot.
You should make sure that you and your co-parent are making things as easy on the kids as you can by never speaking negatively of each other. Badmouthing your co-parent to your child or in a way that your child might hear about could cause the child to feel stress. Instead, you and the other parent should present a united front before the kids.
Try to keep things consistent for your children. It might be tempting to let things, such as violations of house rules, slide at first. The issue with letting this happen is that the kids might become accustomed to it, so it’s best to make the rules clear from the start. You also don’t need to try to compete with your ex over things like vacations or the amount of money that’s spent on the children. Instead, focus on being able to enjoy quality time with the kids.
You and your co-parent should have a clear parenting plan in place. This lets everyone know what to expect and sets up the situation for success.
