Parenting a child is never easy, but for North Carolina couples, parenting a child after a separation or divorce can be even more challenging. Some people say that co-parenting with their ex is the hardest thing they’ve ever done.
Divorce is never easy on children, and parents want to do the best they can for their kids. Co-parenting their children following a divorce can be less traumatic if parents commit to making the situation work. This starts with both parents equally wanting the situation to work. It helps if the parents can get along better than they did when they were married to each other. This is important to the emotional well-being of their child.
Neither parent should speak negatively about their ex with their children. The parent who did not get child custody may be bitter about this and tempted to speak harshly about their ex, but doing so might harm the child emotionally. Children need to maintain a relationship with both parents, something that may take time to establish.
Alleviating stress on the children can be done if parents establish a routine, such as picking up and dropping off children at a neutral place when the kids are going to visit the other parent. Sometimes, therapy may be needed to help children cope with their new lifestyle.
Determining child custody may not be easy if both parents want custody. Mediation may work in some cases; in others, the court may have to decide which parent gets child custody. A family law attorney may be able to explain the options for determining who gets custody of the children and work to help their client attain this goal.