BROOKLYN, New York. When you and your ex finalize a child custody agreement, you’ll likely make decisions about where the children will live, how holidays will be spent, and how much child support will be paid. Every parenting plan during a child custody agreement will differ depending on your child’s needs, your needs, and other factors. Courts tend to favor situations where both parents share legal custody of the children, while generally one parent has physical custody. This means that both parents have a right to make decisions about their children’s after school activities, religion, and medical decisions. While some parents might make big decisions in the parenting plan—like decisions about the child’s religion. Other decisions might go addressed. Even cooperative co-parents are likely to encounter disagreements from time to time. How you handle them can make a big difference in your family’s life and in the life of your children. Here are five tips to help you manage co-parenting disagreements:
- Is it worth the fight? Most co-parents agree that different rules will be observed in different households. However, when you and your ex drastically disagree, conflict can arise. However, according to the Huffington Post, it might be wise to pick your battles. If the difference is that your ex wants a 10 p.m. bedtime, but you want the kids in bed at 9 p.m., the difference can teach your children flexibility and adaptability. However, there are times when the conflict might be worth the battle. If you feel that your ex’s parenting decisions might endanger your child, you’ll want to push back and also possibly seek help.
- Set boundaries. If your marital breakup was rough, or if you and your ex are prone to fight, it might be wise to set boundaries about how you’ll communicate with your ex. According to PsychCentral, some couples decide that their communication will only involve the children. Others might set specific times and means for communication.
- Dealing with schedule changes. Even the most detailed parenting plan might need to see schedule changes from time to time. While these can be inconvenient, it is often wise to think about how a proposed schedule change will impact your children. If it is in the best interest of your child, you may want to go along with it. However, every parenting plan should have a clear set of rules and boundaries for how schedule changes should be made, barring extreme emergencies.
- Find ways to talk. While it is important to set boundaries with a difficult ex, you will still need to talk from time to time about decisions and planning for your children. If you find that every discussion turns into an argument, you may want to set times to talk with a mediator or a counselor present to help you keep things civil. Other parents may exchange emails before a meeting where they state their concerns and create an agenda for the discussion ahead of time.
- Make your parenting plan as detailed as possible. If you anticipate disagreements or major differences in parenting style, or if you are undergoing a contentious divorce, you may want to put as much information in writing as possible. A child custody lawyer like the Elliot Green Law Offices in Brooklyn, New York can help you and your ex develop a parenting plan that works best for your family.
Co-parenting with an ex can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding. It can teach your children important lessons about managing disagreement, about flexibility, and ultimately might be able to enrich their lives. If you have child custody questions in Brooklyn, New York visit https://www.elliotgreenlaw.com/ today to learn more.
