Every parent wishes to spend most of their time with their children. However, once the marriage comes to a divorce, parents push even harder to be an integral part of their children’s lives. Many studies show how shared parenting should be standard for any child after a divorce.
It’s clear that even after a divorce, the importance of each parent is still prevalent for the raising of the child.
Having a shared custody plan is much more than it seems. Shared custody means working through shared schedules, figuring out which parent gets which holiday, and who’s going to drive the kids where they need to go. Here are a few tips that can help make shared custody easier for all parties.
There’s No “I”
Divorce can prove to modify your daily schedule entirely. Everything you do will now have to shared focus on your children’s best interests, not only what is convenient for you. If you’re constantly asking for changes in your shared custody to fit your schedule better, you will find that you will create frustrating situations for your ex and your children.
No Trash Talk
In a lot of cases, a divorce can turn out to be contentious. If you still harbor bad feelings toward your ex, refrain from letting those emotions and opinions out in front of your children. You are trash-talking their parent; they don’t want to hear that. You’re also not in competition with your ex to see who the better parent is in your children’s eyes. Trash-talking family members will only establish a depressing and negative environment for your children.
Respect
While you may have had a lousy marriage partner, it does not mean that they are a bad parent. Focus on establishing a respectful relationship with your ex-spouse, so your children can relax when spending time with each parent and also help when working together in the future.
Communicate
Whether it’s texting, emails, calendar dates, or even face-to-face conversations, you should put more effort into keeping in touch with your ex-spouse. It’s unrealistic to have shared custody and count on a parent that has no idea of what your expectations are.
Best Interest of the Children
You don’t need to feel like a corrections officer that needs to dictate everything that happens with and to your children. It’s important to let your children feel like they can express themselves and what they want. Keep an open ear for where your children wish to spend weekends, holidays, and trips. You and your ex-spouse need to be aware of your children’s wants and what is in their best interest.
If you have gone through a divorce and are having trouble keeping a coordinated relationship with your ex-spouse, call our offices at Burton Law to get a free consultation. We can assist you in gaining more tools to cope with the weight of divorce and help you find a better way your family can transition to this new lifestyle.
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