Divorce Guide :: Children and Divorce :: Divorce Advice for Women on Cooperative Parenting
 
Divorce Advice for Women on Cooperative Parenting E-mail
"Many good divorce advice for women center around good communication with their children and their ex spouses."

Most parents who go through a divorce often have a hard time adjusting to the idea of cooperative parenting. Especially if the divorce was contentious and one or both parties made the mistake of using dirty tactics on the other during the divorce proceedings, repairing relationships enough for both parents to function well for the sake of their children is an enormous challenge.

To make cooperative parenting work for you, here are a few suggestions:

1. Create a list of the non-negotiable things that you absolutely want to teach your child - If you and your ex husband managed to preserve a civil relationship throughout the divorce, asking him to do the same should not be a problem. Make a list of all the traits that you feel you want to be able to develop in your child. Chances are you'll have many similar items on the list. The significance of this exercise is that both of you will begin recognizing the fact that you're working towards the same goals.

2. Make household rules clear - Many good divorce advice for women center around good communication with their children and their ex spouses. One of the things that parents often fight about is household rules. Being on the same page as your ex shows that you have a unified front. Encourage your ex to also make it clear to you what rules he expects your children to obey as well. Being consistent about household rules helps the child adapt to the new situation better.

3. Talk things out when there's a conflict - Parents (whether divorced or not) will not always see eye to eye on how they want to raise children. Different ideas will inevitably surface and you'll need to learn to be mature enough to talk about them. Instead of fighting in front of the children, sit down in a private environment and talk things out. Should you face a situation where your ex husband is unable to control his temper, calmly say that the conversation can be continued at a different time and place rather than take him head on in front of your kids.

4. Support your ex's rules whenever reasonable - Teaching a child about consequences is an essential part of good parenting. Should your child break one of your ex's house rules, support him by exercising the corresponding or agreed punishment. Letting your children off the hook when they break household rules set by their father will cause confusion and may be interpreted as you dividing the loyalty of your children.

Parenting is never easy, but cooperative parenting may be a bit more complicated. It takes a lot of hard work to be able to work with an ex husband for the good of the children that you share.

 
TotalDivorce.com | Close This Form

Who's Online?

We have 184 guests online

Connect with a Local Divorce Attorney

Find an expert divorce lawyer in your area (U.S. Only). Simply complete the 5 short questions below and we'll match you with a suitable lawyer in your area. No matter where you are in the divorce process, a divorce attorney in your area can provide you with answers to your questions and suggestions on how to deal with the divorce process, laws and requirements.