Co-parents have to cooperate. Put aside how you feel about your ex. Put aside your own relationship. You still have children together and, if you also have shared custody of those children, you must learn how to co-parent successfully.
That means cooperating and putting the children first, even when that’s not ideal for you.
Cooperation doesn’t have to be as hard as you think
With the right mindset, you can make it easy to work with your ex. Here are a few tips that may help:
- When you and your ex are having a discussion about the kids, really take the time to listen and consider his or her perspective
- Share opinions with each other, and be willing to work together to make decisions
- If you’re feeling overly stressed, be willing to take a break and come back to the discussion at a later date
Do not conflate the fact that your relationship ended with the idea that your ex cannot be an excellent parent to your children. They certainly can — as you can — no matter why that relationship ended.
Stick to the topic at hand — how to handle issues at school, what rules to have, how to change those rules as the kids grow up, etc. Do not get into unrelated adult topics that should be left for other conversations. Above all else, just remember that cooperation is best for your children, and that should always be your ultimate goal.
What are your legal options?
It’s wise to know what legal options you have while navigating a co-parenting situation. The more you and your ex know about where you stand, the better you can do.