Once Florida couples with minor children divorce, they often must figure out their co-parenting relationship. Ideally, they should put aside their differences to raise healthy, happy children. However, that is not always the case, particularly when those differences led to their divorce. Figuring out the co-parenting relationship might take a while, but if both approach it respectfully, honestly and with good intentions, they should find success.
Learning to communicate
A communication breakdown might have been a factor in the end of the marriage. However, if parents want to co-parent their children successfully, they will need to learn how to communicate. It might take conscious effort and restraint from both sides to learn to speak respectfully to one another. There are tools parents can use to communicate effectively, including:
- Text messages
- Email messages
- Applications designed to help co-parenting relationships
- Phone calls and voicemail
- Shared calendars
Spending time together as a family
Divorce ends the relationship between the spouses, but it does not mean the end of the family. Children need both parents involved in their lives to thrive and that means that parents will sometimes also spend time together with the children. It might also come up that a parent who does not live close by might visit to see the children. Staying in the home with the other parent and the children might become an option. While some couples can make this work, for others, it might prove to be a tricky situation. It can confuse the children and upset new partners, so it is often better for the visiting parent to stay elsewhere, even if they spend time during the day at the other parent’s home.
Parents should remain focused on the best interests of the children as they figure out the co-parenting relationship. They should make decisions that reassure the children of their love and support and provide stability.