Understandably, your divorce proceedings may be a significant emotional drain on you. So you can just imagine the toll that it is taking on your minor child. This is why, though you may not be on the best of terms at the moment, you and your former spouse must put on a happy face for the sake of your child. This starts with establishing a strong co-parenting relationship. Read on to discover how a healthy co-parenting relationship can support your child and how a seasoned Morris County divorce lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC can help you meet in the middle.
How can a healthy co-parenting relationship support my child?
Your child may be experiencing confused feelings at the time of your divorce. But the one thing that they should not be confused about is the fact that their parents still love and respect each other. The best way that you can display this is by establishing a healthy co-parenting relationship with your former spouse.
At the end of the day, you and your former spouse are both looking out for the best interest of your child. This goal is all the more accomplishable if you continue to work together as a team.
How can I best co-parent with my former spouse?
First of all, it is helpful if you and your former spouse have remained amicable following your divorce. But we understand that sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that do not make this doable. In this case, the best way to co-parent with your former spouse is to communicate decisions pertaining to your child through a mediator. In addition, you and your former spouse may want to attend counseling to learn how to work in the common interest of your child.
And as far as your day-to-day life goes, it may be in your best interest to practice the following co-parenting tactics:
- Never speak negatively about your former spouse in the presence of your child.
- Never make your child feel as though they must “pick a side” when you and your former spouse disagree.
- Make a conscious effort to keep your child’s day-to-day life as similar as possible (i.e., same school, extracurriculars, and house) to when you and your former spouse were still married.
- Make a conscious effort to maintain the same routines (i.e., activities, homework, dinner, and bedtime routines) between your and your former spouse’s household.
- Make a conscious effort to be on schedule when dropping your child off at parenting time with your former spouse.
- Appear enthusiastic and supportive when dropping your child off at parenting time with your former spouse.
There is no time like the present to get your co-parenting relationship in check. So pick up the phone and call a competent Morristown family law attorney from Graves Andres, LLC today. We are looking forward to it.
