Planning for Co-Parenting Success

The start of the new school year is a great time to reassess and plan your co-parenting for the year as well. Having a plan, showing each other respect and having the success of your child be the focus will help to ensure that your child, and your co-parenting are off to a great start! Here are a few more tips to consider:

1. Separate your co-parenting relationship from your romantic relationship with your ex. Although your marriage or romantic relationship with your ex has ended, your family relationship continues. It is important that you view the two as separate so you can ensure you keep the best interest of your child as the first priority.
2. Don’t allow personal feelings to affect your behavior. Set aside hurt feelings from the past and focus on the future success of your child. When you look toward the future, this will help your child feel more confident in his or her new living arrangements.
3. Communication is key. Find one successful way to maintain direct communication with you co-parent. Technology is a great way to help coordinate co-parenting and busy schedules. Make sure you aren’t using your child to communicate with your ex, you run the risk of making your child feel like they are in the middle when they become the “messenger”.
4. Update all relevant contact information. This will make it easier for everyone to show up for your child and also allows both parents to be proactively involved with neither being tasked to coordinate. Reach out to your child’s teachers and/or coaches and explain that you and your ex are happy to be co-parenting and would appreciate if she could communicate with you both regarding the well-being of your child. You should take some time to familiarize yourself with the school’s electronic communication system, and request two logins. If only one login in permitted, make sure to share the password so that both parents can keep on top of the child’s progress. Be proactive with school projects, events and conferences and make a plan to share a calendar for your child, if you can.
5. It would be helpful to set up a time on the weekend to discuss upcoming school activities, and plan the week ahead. Inform your child which parent will be participating in each activity, or if both of you will be attending. Your goal is to help your child to feel successful, and to realize that although the marriage is over, you and your ex are working as a team to be the best parents you can be.
6. If you are having difficulties with co-parenting and implementing your custody rights, it may be time to consider modification or enforcement. We would be happy to speak with you about your case in a confidential office consultation. During your consultation, we will discuss the specific needs of your family, as well as our qualifications to meet them, so that together we can develop a strategy that will work for you. For more information about our services, please call (301) 453-8381 or email info@shellyingramlaw.com.

You may also be interested in:

• Using Technology to Connect with Your Kids
• Using Technology to Co-parent Better