If you were recently divorced and share children with your former spouse, you will continue to remain in each other’s lives as you raise your children together. If your split was particularly acrimonious, co-parenting with your former spouse may feel like an insurmountable task and you may find yourselves butting heads. It is crucial to think of your relationship with your ex-spouse in a different way to overcome these obstacles. You must both focus on the needs of your children rather than on the issues that ultimately led to your divorce.
Making it Work
If you have a lot of unresolved anger or hurt feelings regarding your divorce, it is essential to find a healthy outlet to cope with it. Otherwise, you might express these feelings in a way that will negatively impact your ability to co-parent with your ex. You do not need to become your former spouse’s best friend, but you should seek to be cordial with one another, so you can consistently cooperate on all child-related matters.
Here are some other tips that will help you become a more effective co-parent:
- Do not use your children as messengers. Instead, you must always communicate directly with each other to avoid miscommunications or adding to your children’s anxieties.
- Figure out the communication that works best for your situation. Not everyone can effectively communicate in-person. Perhaps emails or texts work best for you and your former spouse.
- When it comes to resolving disagreements, be respectful of each other and learn to be better listeners. If you believe you made an error, be willing to offer a genuine apology.
- Ask for your former spouse’s opinion to jump-start positive discussions. Doing this with an issue you do not feel strongly about will be easier and show that you value your ex’s opinion.
- Keep all of your conversations child-focused. Diving into other topics may lead to unnecessary arguments that can derail the progress you are making.
Although the process will not be without its flaws, co-parenting with your former spouse can become easier as time goes on if you both put in an honest effort and are willing to cooperate.
Reach Out to Our Compassionate Family Law Team for the Legal Guidance You Need
If you were recently divorced and share children with your former spouse, you may continue to run into legal issues as you continue to raise your children in the aftermath. At Garza Law Firm, LLLP, our skilled family law team can provide the strong legal support and guidance you need to overcome any obstacles you may face. With nearly 40 years of combined experience on our side, you can trust that our team will secure the best possible results for your case.
Call our law office today at (214) 225-4344 to set up an initial consultation to discuss the details of your family law case with a member of our team.