Co-parenting is a herculean task, especially during the holidays. All Christmas cheer and gratitude aside, it is no small feat to get all your work done while your children are home during winter break, to afford the presents or the makings of a holiday meal, much less to find the time to cook elaborate recipes or to wrap gifts. It is even more stressful when your ex-spouse suddenly shows up, demanding to take your kids to an impromptu family gathering, just as you and your children were about to decorate the Christmas cookies you just baked, or when a wealthy new stepparent upstages your festivities with ostentatious gifts. Your relationship with your children is one of the things about which you have the strongest feelings, but it is easiest to remain calm if you approach co-parenting the way you approach professional relationships; think about the big picture, and let legally binding documents be your guide. The first step is a conflict-proof parenting plan, and the best way to get one of those is to contact a Clintwood family law attorney.
If You Can Deal With a Difficult Coworker, You Can Deal With Your Ex-Spouse
You can save yourself a lot of stress if you deal with your former spouse, similar to how you would deal with a coworker with whom you do not have a good relationship. Openly antagonizing your coworker is not an option; it could cause you to lose your job. Likewise, treating your ex like an enemy is not an option while your children are minors. The court does not look favorably on parents who sabotage their children’s relationship with the other parent.
A better option is to be KIND, which works like this:
- K is for kid-centered. Only talk to your ex-spouse about your children. This way, you can avoid getting dragged back into the arguments that destroyed your marriage, and you can avoid letting your ex cause drama between you and your new partner.
- I is for informative. Be transparent with your ex about your plans and about what goes on in your children’s lives when they are with you. Do not hide relevant information from your ex.
- N is for nice. Do not be unpleasant to your ex. Professionalism requires you to adopt a pleasant or neutral demeanor with your coworkers, and you should do the same with your co-parent.
- D is for direct. Do not play games, expect your ex to read your mind, or say things just to get on your ex’s nerves.
It is easiest to do this when you have a detailed parenting plan. This way, the rules are there in writing, and all you have to do is follow them.
Contact Greg Baker, Attorneys at Law PLLC, About Parenting Plan Cases
The lawyers at Greg Baker Attorneys at Law PLLC serve the southwestern Virginia community in child custody cases and other areas of the law. Contact Greg Baker, Attorneys at Law PLLC in Clintwood, Virginia, to set up a consultation.