Preparing Yourself to be a Co-Parent

Jan 16

, Carroll Law Office

The internet is chock full of information on how to be a parent. There’s advice on when your child should be learning this trick or hitting that stage. There are countless websites and articles centered around what you can do to be the best parent possible. You may have felt overwhelmed by that stage in your life, but what’s lacking out there is information on how to be a CO-parent.

Ultimately, you’ve reached this point because you and/or your spouse have decided it’s time to move on. Your marriage has not been what you imagined and now you both need to make plans to handle your roles as parents in an entirely different way. You’re not alone on the timing of your divorce, either – January is generally one of the most “popular” months for couples to call it quits for various reasons. So, what can you do to prepare yourself for this next stage of parenting?

Set Expectations For Yourself and Your Ex

As you go through the divorce process, there’s going to be plenty of back-and-forth surrounding the details of your separation and what comes after. It’s important for you to set expectations about what you’re hoping to get out of this ongoing relationship you both have as parents of your child.

Are you hoping to be heavily involved even if you’re not the primary caretaker? Do you want to allow space for the other parent to be involved in key decisions if you are the primary caretaker? You’re going to need to set clear expectations from the beginning and work from there. Understand that the other co-parent will be doing the same and eventually you’ll need to work together for this to be successful.

Keep Communication Open and Respectful

One of the most important factors in a successful co-parenting plan is communication. We understand that your marriage is coming to an end may be from a lack of communication or from an even more contentious place. Imagining a world where you have cordial and open communication with your ex may seem impossible right now, but this will ultimately help you both thrive as co-parents down the line.

This doesn’t mean you need to be texting and seeing your ex constantly, but you should work hard to get to a point where you feel comfortable sharing information and asking for information when necessary. The courts will put the best interests of your child first and both co-parents need to do the same.

Work With Your Attorney

When you need help transitioning to parenthood you talk to people who have experience in that realm. The same applies here. Your attorney has been down this road of navigating the complicated nature of divorces that involve children.

Your attorney will be a great resource during this transition for you and can be someone to lean on for best practices. A poor co-parenting plan or a co-parent who refuses to take part in a good faith co-parenting plan could be relevant to your divorce case. At Carroll Law Office, we can help you simplify life’s complexities. Contact our team for representation during your divorce and help navigate what’s to come.