You don’t have to fight your way through co-parenting

It’s not easy to go through a divorce, then immediately begin to share custody with your ex. After the emotional challenges brought by your divorce, the last thing you probably want to do is work closely with the other parent. However, if you decided to co-parent together and share joint custody, you don’t have a choice.

Thankfully, co-parenting does not always have to feel like a fight. It may not be easy at first, but it is something that will get easier and become a smoother process over time. You may have opted to co-parent because you wanted to provide your kids with as much continuity of lifestyle as possible, but this means you may have to set aside your own temporary emotions for the time being.

What’s it going to take?

Co-parenting well requires the cooperation of both parents. In order to truly make this process beneficial for your kids, you will have to focus on being respectful of each other, consistent with your parenting plan and as kind as possible with each other. Other tips that can help you make this process a bit easier include:

• Use apps and websites to make it easier to track expenses, notify each other of schedule changes and communicate clearly.
• Keep in mind that it will help to focus on loving your child more than you dislike the other parent in this moment.
• Respect the fact that your ex is still your child’s parent and respect the importance of maintaining that relationship.
• Communicate clearly and regularly with the other parent and meet with each other to discuss problems, changes and other important matters.
• Keep track of problems in case you need documentation down the road.
• Don’t allow your child to serve as the go-between or request that he or she take messages to the other parent.
• Remember that you can parent well together even if you do not agree on everything.

Co-parenting will not be perfect, and it probably won’t always be easy. If you are considering this option, you may want to work with an experienced New Jersey family law attorney who can help you craft a parenting plan that will suit your family for years to come. A clear custody order will lower the chance of problems and disputes as you co-parent in the months and years ahead.