Guidelines for Co-Parenting

It can be difficult to co-parent when you live with the other parent. Living separate and apart and being separated or divorced can make it more difficult to co-parent. Here are some tips to co-parent well for your children’s benefit.

-Don’t every bad mouth your ex in front of your child. This is very stressful for a child.
-Don’t ask kids to pick sides or carry messages back and forth.
-Don’t ask kids to make decisions that should be made with you and your ex. Talk to your ex before making a decision that affects the child. For example, don’t tell a child they can do a certain activity until you have agreed with your ex about it.

-Communicate with your ex as much as possible. Check in weekly via email or applications like Talking Parents or Our Family Wizard.
-Say good things about your ex in front of the children
-Keep consistent routines in both households (bed-time, wake up, video watching). Consistency comforts children especially when they go back and forth between households.
-Allow your kids to to speak freely about your ex.

Conflict between separated parents affects children greatly in the short term and long term. Do you part to keep the conflict with your ex to a minimum as it the best thing for your child’s well being.