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Co-parenting challenges after divorce

On Behalf of | Jul 20, 2017 | Divorce |

As a young parent and spouse, you are caught up in balancing the needs of your kids, your career and quality time with your significant other. However, since having kids, you haven’t had a chance to work on your relationship with your spouse, and now you fear the stress could lead to divorce.

If this is how you feel, you’re not alone. Although the divorce rate is declining among Millennials, couples have consistently reported to experiencing a steep decline in marital satisfaction after having kids.

Kids are happy when their parents are happy

It is possible that having kids exposes the unresolved or underlying issues between spouses, and the focus on the kids does not allow parents the time to fix their relationship as problems arise. If you believe that your marriage has failed, there is still time to be a successful parent after divorce.

Research from Cambridge University and Washington Post says that children do well when their parents get along regardless of whether or not their parents are married. What’s the key to balancing happiness and as a parent and well being for your children?

Like marriage, co-parenting after divorce still requires communication. Having common goals for your children is key to their development between two households. What can parents do to minimize parenting conflicts after divorce? Huffington Post points out the most likely issues parents will face after divorce.

Manipulative parenting

The stress and negative emotions of divorce can cause some parents to use their children against the other spouse. However, using children to drive a wedge in your relationship could result in adverse consequences through the divorce proceedings. As one relationship expert advises, it is best to “keep your side of the street clean.”

Consistency in house rules and routines

Just as you and your spouse may have had different personal routines related to household chores and bedtimes, these patterns could emerge in co-parenting too. Keeping kids in the same routine despite living in two different households can reduce stress on both parents and the kids themselves.

Few things can prepare couples for the challenge of parenting. Now that you’re a parent, the focus of your life is with your kids. After divorce, your focus will remain the same. The steps you take to finding balance for yourself and your children can determine the priorities of a co-parenting agreement.