Working with your ex to raise the children you share isn’t always easy. It’s imperative that both parents are willing to compromise to get the children what they need. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen.
Co-parents may not always get along. Dealing with an ex who is being difficult in this type of situation can be stressful. Finding ways to deal with it is beneficial.
Focus on the children
All child custody decisions have to focus on the children. It’s too easy to fall into thinking about the past or considering how things will affect you or your ex. When you focus on the kids, it’s a bit easier to remove the emotions from it and do what they need. It may behoove you to think of your ex as a business partner of sorts.
Consider an alternative parenting model
If you find that you and your ex simply can’t co-parent, you may need to consider another parenting model. Parallel parenting is a little different but it comes with firmer boundaries and a bit more separation between the parents.
Anyone who’s in the midst of a child custody battle should remember that part of putting the children first is being able to make decisions in their best interests. This is difficult when co-parents can’t get along. It might help if the parenting plan is set quickly after the split. This gives the children the stability they need and provides the parents with the backbone of what needs to happen. By setting this up based on what they require now, you can meet their needs. You can always modify the agreement later if a child’s needs change.
