Handle parenting matters with careful thought and respect

Your parenting relationship with your ex can have a big impact on how your children handle the divorce. It is imperative that everything you do in this area of your life is based on what the children need. It can be hard to manage your family while you are trying to work through some of these matters, but finding the balance can reduce your stress and benefit the children.

One of the most important things to remember when you are in this position is that you have to try to keep a positive attitude. Negativity can infiltrate the situation and lead to conflicts and bad situations. You can’t change how your ex is thinking about things, but you control your reaction to the issues that do arise.

Another rule to follow is that you need to follow the standards set for the situation. These are outlined in the parenting plan, so be sure you know what it says and remain compliant with the terms. There will be times when adjustments are necessary, so think about how those will affect the kids when you are trying to decide what to do.

Even though there is a parenting plan, there might be times when it is in the child’s best interests to compromise with your ex on a solution that may not be exactly what is in the parenting plan. For example, if out-of-town family comes in to see your ex on your weekend with your children, you might consider letting them go with the ex, so they can see those individuals.

Never use any opportunity to badmouth your ex. Despite the fact that you are divorced, that person is still your child’s parent and deserves the respect that is due to them. If you do need to let off some steam, do it with someone you can trust and when the kids aren’t around to hear.

Ultimately, you have to do what you feel is best for your children. Your ex probably has the same goal of raising happy and healthy children but might not follow the same path to that goal. Be willing to accept differences and focus on how the kids are doing.