The role of a “co-parent” can refer to not only a divorced spouse, but to anyone who plays an active and principal role in the raising of your children as well. This can be a grandparent(s) or an extended family member, and even a new spouse of your former husband or wife.
While it may not always be the easiest thing to work with another adult when it comes to raising your children, especially if that adult is a former spouse, there are a number of important steps and things to keep in mind which can help you to develop and positive and healthy relationship with your co-parent, and allow you to create the best possible environment for your children’s growth and development.
“Create a Parenting Plan for Your Children”
Morris County, NJ Family Law Attorneys
One of the first steps you should take with your co-parent is to create a “parenting plan”. This plan can outline which parent will be responsible for certain aspects of their children’s lives, when parents will work together to make decisions or resolve certain issues, and how the co-parents should specifically go about communicating with each other.
By having a parenting plan in place, you can have a much clearer understanding of your individual responsibilities, how and when you and your co-parent will cooperate towards your children’s development, and what expectations each co-parent has of the other.
“Keep Your Disagreements Private”
Chatham, NJ Divorce Attorneys
One things that almost every child psychology expert agrees on is that it is unhealthy for your children to be involved in any disagreements you may have with your co-parent. It is important for children to believe that any decisions made regarding them and their lives are a united, parental decision.
Even though you certainly will not always agree with your co-parent on many different issues, it is important that you discuss these disagreements in private, and avoid causing your children to feel conflicted over which parent’s advice or rules to follow.
“Learn to Compromise”
Chester, NJ Child Custody and Visitation Lawyers
Any successful co-parenting relationship will involve a great deal of compromise. While this may seem particularly difficult in the case that your co-parent is a former spouse, remember that you are no longer financially or romantically committed to each other. Many times these can be the issues which caused the marriage to fail, and now that these commitments and the disagreements over them are no longer a factor, it can certainly be possible that you and your former spouse are now able to reach these compromises where once you could not.
Regardless of the type of relationship you have with your co-parent, compromise and the ability to do so will often be the most important determining factor when it comes to the success of your co-parenting relationship. Try to keep an open mind, and remember that your primary goal in this scenario is to protect the best interests of your children, and not necessarily your own. If there are any outstanding legal issues between you and your co-parent, this can often cause a great deal of strain on your ability to reach compromises, so it is important that you reach out to a family law attorney as quickly as possible in order to resolve these issues, and allow you to begin your co-parenting relationship with a clean slate.
“Develop a Support and Advice Network”
Mendham, NJ Family Law Firm
Considering the importance of your ability to compromise, often having a network of people you can turn to for advice and guidance can be of extreme benefit. It’s not always easy to keep an open mind or to view your own situation objectively, and often by simply discussing any issues or concerns you may have with a close friend or family member, you can discover solutions to those problems yourself, and see them in a new way which changes how you feel about the situation. Having emotional guidance and support during family issues is just as important as having a good attorney.
Contact Our Morristown Family Law Firm Today
At Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience finding creative and effective solutions to family law issues of all kinds for each of our clients in towns across Morris County, including Chester, Chatham, Mendham, Harding, Morris Township, and Morristown.
By practicing exclusively family and divorce law, our firm can focus on providing you with the knowledgeable, informed, and compassionate legal service that you need and deserve in matters so critical to your legal, financial, and parental futures. Whether you are going through a divorce, considering a divorce, or are in need of modifying a divorce agreement such as child custody, child support, or spousal support, we are prepared to thoroughly investigate your unique situation, listen closely to all of your needs and concerns, and work towards resolving your specific issue in the way which makes the most sense for you and your family.
To speak with our firm today in a free and confidential consultation regarding any family law or divorce issue you may have, please contact us online, or through our Morristown, NJ office at (973) 840-8970.
