The Dos and Don’ts of Co-Parenting in New York

The Dos and Don’ts of Co-Parenting in New York

A divorce can take a toll on the children involved. That is why it is critical that you and your former spouse work together to maintain a healthy co-parenting relationship. Continue reading to learn more about the dos and don’ts of child custody and reach out to our skilled Nassau County child custody attorney.

What are the dos?

Keep in mind the many “dos” or helpful ways that you can foster a healthy co-parenting relationship. You can accomplish this by establishing boundaries, like:

  • Craft a plan with your spouse that puts differences aside and focuses strictly on what you both can do to satisfy the needs of your children.
  • Organize how you will manage visitation, holidays, and events.
  • Develop behavioral approaches for raising your children that you will each follow. It is essential to understand that you will want your children to have consistency in their lives, no matter which parent they are with. This includes bedtimes, phone privileges, and more.
  • Recognize that a child will generally test a situation and abuse boundaries. Be ready and stay strong.
  • Set the roles of extended family members.
  • Construct lines of open communication about all aspects of your child’s development. This includes being able to compare notes on a situation before choosing a punishment.
  • Even though it can be emotionally difficult, you and your co-parent need to decide to keep each other notified about changes in your life circumstances. The child should never be your primary source of knowledge.
  • Commit yourself to having emotional goodness.

What are the don’ts?

On the other hand, you will want to understand the actions to evade when co-parenting with your former spouse. They include:

  • Damaging your child’s relationship with your former spouse.
  • Allowing your child to speak poorly about the other parent.
  • Using your child as a means to get back at or harm your former spouse.
  • Utilizing your child to receive information or to manipulate and/or control your former spouse.
  • Transfering hurt feelings and/or frustrations toward your former spouse onto your child.
  • Pushing your child to choose a side when there is a dispute with scheduling.
  • Turning the strain on your child.
  • Relying too much on your child for friendship or support because you are going through a divorce.
  • Become so emotionally dependent that your child starts to feel guilty if they put time into connections with others. You would not want to find out they turned down social outings because they were afraid you would be incapable of having alone time.

Contact our experienced Nassau County firm

The Pollack Law Firm, P.C., rated Nassau County’s “BEST” divorce lawyers and proudly serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk County for more than 22 years, is always available to assist and represent parties in divorce, separation, and all other matrimonial and family law matters. Contact us online or call today to schedule your complimentary case analysis: (516) 938-3330.

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