When you got married, you likely did not see yourself divorced and trying to share parenting responsibilities. But this is a reality for many couples and many couples who have children together.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 746,971 divorces and annulments occurred in the U.S. in 2019. If you are one of many parents struggling to work through issues with your former spouse, these co-parenting tips may help.
Two different parenting styles
You and your ex may have two different parenting styles, and you may try everything to prove that your way of parenting is best when you share parenting time. Address how you want to raise your children early on in your divorce to set expectations and prevent major issues in the future.
Broken parenting agreements
You and your former spouse may have come to different agreements about how to parent your children, but your ex may not hold up his or her end of the deal out of spite or for another reason. Talk to your ex about why this is problematic for you and your children and attempt to recreate these agreements if need be.
Children used to hurt the other parent
Your former spouse may try to use your children to hurt you. Step back and consider if you are subconsciously doing the same thing to your ex. If this behavior does not end, you may want to take the issue to court.
You and your ex must both commit to co-parenting in a way that preserves the best interests of your children. It may take time to establish a system that works but doing so can help you and your children thrive after your divorce.