Debbie The end of a romantic relationship is never an easy time, but when there are also children involved, there’s another layer of problems to deal with. You can’t just say goodbye to your ex and never see them again because you’ll need to work out a way to co-parent. Even if you don’t want to be near each other, your children still deserve to have both parents in their lives where possible.
This is why it’s important to work out how to co-parent in the right way so that, no matter why you broke up in the first place, you can still be good parents both separately and together. With this in mind, read on to find out more.
Accept Different Parenting Styles
When you were together, your parenting style as a couple would have been similar, if not identical. However, now that you’re apart, it could be that you change your parenting style, or your partner does. If this is the case, and you or they may change because the new parenting style is actually what feels better and works well in the new situation.
Although it’s perfectly fine to have two different parenting styles, it’s also important that they don’t contradict one another. You can’t have entirely different rules with each parent, or the child is going to become confused, and they won’t learn life lessons so easily. Try to work together even if your parenting styles are different so that you can create something that works for everyone. Co parenting advice from twohealthyhomes.com could help with this.
Be Flexible
There are many reasons why it’s a good idea to be flexible when it comes to co-parenting. When you’re able to change your plans and be more adaptable when you need to be, you’ll be able to provide a happier, more comfortable environment for your children. You’ll also find communication is easier because you’ll be less stressed and hopefully less angry all the time. This means you can make better plans and talk about important issues linked to your children, which can make a big, positive difference in everyone’s lives.
Another benefit to being flexible is that you’ll both be able to be in your children’s lives more. If one parent is very strict and the other has to keep changing their plans and there’s no flexibility, this isn’t the ideal situation on either side, and one parent is going to see their child much less.
Be Prepared For Your Feelings
When you’re not with your child because they’re with their other parent, you might feel alone, lonely, and you might even feel a sense of loss. You could find that you just don’t know what to do with yourself because you’re usually with your little one.
You need to be prepared for these feelings and accept them as part of your new life. The key is to be sure that you know your child is happy with your ex and having a good time. If you have that in mind, you’ll be able to get past your sad feelings more easily.
Always have good lines of communication so that you can stay in touch if you need to, and this will make you feel better, too. In the meantime, you can use this new free time to do things that you want to do, like seeing friends or taking up a new hobby. This way, the time isn’t wasted and you’ll feel a lot better.
