Co-parenting after a divorce or breakup is incredibly difficult. Parents sometimes let their unhealthy dynamic with each other affect the daily lives and mental health of their children.
Ideally, parents should make every reasonable effort to do what is best for their children in a shared custody scenario. How can those with a negative relationship with a co-parent find a way to cooperate for the sake of their children?
By consistently using a parenting app
Communication issues are a leading cause of conflict between co-parents. What starts as a simple request for an adjustment to the parenting schedule could devolve into a bitter dispute. Especially in the early days after the end of the relationship between the parents, emotions can run high whenever they communicate directly with one another.
Therefore, many parents choose to utilize parenting apps as a means of reducing conflict. The fact that there is a written record maintained by an app of all communications can help people keep their emotions in check. Having all the details about co-parenting matters in one location can also make it easier for people to verify details about the parenting schedule and other key co-parenting matters.
By attending co-parenting therapy
Parents who have divorced or broken up with each other may no longer have a healthy dynamic. They may fight whenever they try to talk or struggle to find a way to resolve even minor disputes. Co-parenting therapy is different from marital therapy because it does not focus on fixing the marriage between the parents. Instead, the goal is often to find ways for parents to more effectively communicate and resolve their disagreements with one another. Co-parenting therapy can help those adjusting to a new relationship dynamic to do so more gracefully and calmly.
By pursuing personal counseling
When there has been an abusive dynamic or when one parent refuses to acknowledge their contributions to an unhealthy dynamic, co-parenting therapy may not work for the family. A parent who recognizes that their relationship with their co-parents is unhealthy can potentially seek out one-on-one counseling to help them better handle the stress of regularly interacting with the other parent.
A counselor can give someone tools to help them remain as calm as possible in difficult circumstances and can also help someone better identify when their frustration or anger about a situation is reasonable versus when it is inappropriate. Those who are able to process the stress of co-parenting with a neutral professional in a confidential setting may find it easier to overcome the challenges of trying to raise children with someone who is uncooperative.
Parents who want what is best for their children often need to do their best to minimize conflict when sharing custody. Tapping into outside resources can help parents put their children first even when their own emotions feel overwhelming.
