When divorce is inevitable and you have kids, the emotions and stressors multiply quickly. When you decide it is time to end a marriage and move on, your kids are still at the top of your priority list. If you have young children and they have lived with both parents for most or all of their lives, a co-parenting plan is vital to keeping the peace and providing as much stability as possible for little ones who may not fully understand the changes.
Benefits of making it work
According to HelpGuide International, co-parenting is beneficial to your kids in many ways, including the following:
- Provides a healthy example for them to follow
- Increases stable emotional and mental behavior
- Increases problem-solving ability
- Provides consistency, stability and security
Even something as simple as having the same rules at each house can improve the situation for your children. Children learn cooperation and grow up confident in the love their parents have for them when they can co-parent.
Co-parenting tips
The process will not always be easy and requires effort from both parties. Experts suggest that both parents do what they can to set anger and hurt aside and focus on the child’s feelings rather than their own. You should separate behavior from feelings when dealing with children.
Proper communication is vital to co-parenting. Your mindset must stay consistent with the way you want to communicate, with the focus being on your child’s well-being more than scoring points against your ex.
Parents can improve their co-parenting skills by rebuilding trust after a relationship has ended. This means asking for your ex’s opinion, apologizing when you are wrong and staying calm even when things do not go as planned. These simple changes can greatly improve the life of your child after divorce.