One of the most difficult aspects of your divorce for you may have been to watch the impact that it had on your children. Even if you and the other parent were amicable and resolved to work together on every aspect of your divorce agreement, you may have found that your kids struggled with the changes in their everyday lives. As a result, you may resolve to ensure that your children do not encounter any additional suffering as a result of your divorce.
One of the keys to protecting the interests of your children is to ensure that your custody arrangement is peaceful and amicable. Even if you are still struggling with difficult emotions and other complications in your personal life, you may have to set aside those things to prioritize the needs of your kids. One way that you can do this is by establishing healthy communication practices as co-parents.
Tips for working together
If you share custody in any capacity, you will need to have a working relationship with the other parent. This does not necessarily mean that you will have to get along with your ex, but it does mean that you will need to be able to prioritize your kids even over how you are feeling in the moment. Communication can be difficult, especially in the months following the divorce, but the following tips may help you establish healthy communication practices:
- Be sure to share important details with the other parent, including information about school programs, sporting events, and more.
- Do not ask your children to carry messages back and forth between the parents as this could make them stressed and uncomfortable.
- Save your discussions and disagreements with the other parent for the right time, avoiding having them in front of the children.
- Listen attentively and respond respectfully to the other parent, remembering that your shared goal is the benefit of your children.
If you are navigating the aftermath of a New Jersey divorce, it is beneficial to establish healthy ways to communicate with the other parent. There are helpful apps that can help you with this, but you may also want to seek guidance from a professional regarding how you can create a custody and visitation plan that will benefit and protect your kids for years to come.