Tips For Co-parenting After A Divorce

Although you may adjust somewhat quickly to your divorce, it will take time for your children to adjust. However, not only do they need time, but they also need supportive parents to help them through the transition.

Therefore, these are some co-parenting tips you can follow after you finalize your divorce.

Create Open Communication Pathways

Your children need your honesty, and they need to feel as if they can talk to you honestly. Speak with your children about the divorce without casting blame or getting emotional. Focus on them, and show them that you both love them. Tell them that they are not to blame for the divorce and that you are both there for them no matter what.

Look for signs of self-blame, confusion, grief, guilt, anger and other negative emotions and address them immediately. Stay open to repeating these talks. Also, encourage them to come to you with their feelings and thoughts.

Let Them Be Children

Divorce already pushes your children to mature. Therefore, encourage them to play, and keep things light. Avoid pushing your challenges, pain and anxieties on them. Focus on them and shelter them from what you deal with. If you play with them, you may feel your spirits rise as well.

Spend Quality Time

Now more than ever, your children need your time and focus. They need more quality time than they have in the past. They also need a set routine and scheduled time with both their parents, so work together to build a parenting plan and schedule that you can maintain. Avoid breaking promises and missing your time with your children.

As you implement these co-parenting tips, remember to keep your attitude toward, interactions with and talk about your former spouse positive, respectful and open. Focus on protecting your children.