The need to take care of your children and parent them together never ends, even if the marriage with your ex-spouse is over. Sometimes it feels impossible to put aside your conflict with their other parent, no matter how much you love your children.
Familiarizing yourself with the common problems that exist between co-parents may help you avoid further issues and stress.
1. Your parenting styles are different.
You should attempt to communicate with one another to compromise on parenting styles and formulate a more cohesive environment for your children. Clearly outline important issues including homework, bedtime, dietary plans and people permitted around the children.
2. You stress about your children with the other parent.
If you find yourself worrying about your children constantly while they are in the other parent’s custody, then the issue may reside with you, and not with the co-parent. Show the children they have another capable parent by having some confidence in your ex-spouse’s parenting.
3. Someone breaks the parenting agreement.
If co-parenting, referred to as shared parenting, is in the best interest of the child, then the parents should submit a parenting plan to the court. Breaking this parenting or the custody agreement can lead to animosity and arguments between the co-parents, so following the agreement from the start generally alleviates grief and saves a court date.
4. The co-parent uses the children as pawns.
Using your children as weapons in order to control the other parent is a serious issue because this manipulation is not about the children, but rather about you trying to hurt each other. This is a form of child abuse and courts frown upon this type of behavior.
