It’s not easy, but getting along with your ex-spouse plays a big role in being a better parent. Fathers’ rights should be seen as equal to mothers’ rights and a big part of the equation is getting along with each other for the sake of the kids. Massachusetts parents facing a divorce or recovering from one will do well to keep this in mind if they plan on making their children’s’ best interests a priority.
Successful and positive communication between divorced couples is a key factor in a successful co-parenting arrangement. It can also be quite challenging when there are strained feelings at play between the divorcees. Part of the challenge is resisting the urge to let loose on your kids and tell them how you really feel about the other parent.
A divorce can create feelings of uncertainty and a future outlook that can be less than positive – but these are feelings that are often harder for children to deal with and the danger lies in communicating those feelings to them. Working on yourself and dealing with your own emotional baggage can be an important first step towards making sure that you will be contributing to building a positive environment for your kids to grow up within. When kids are assured that you’re stable, they feel a sense of stability too. They also need to know that their parents care enough about them to put away the differences between each other in order to work together in their kids’ best interests.
The best approach for some divorced parents may be to view the co-parenting arrangement as though it were a business relationship; discuss the matters at hand in a manner more fitting for a business discussion than a family feud. In other words, try to keep any possible negative emotions out of the fathers’ rights vs. mothers’ rights scorecard and keep the kids out of the crossfire. Massachusetts parents may face daunting financial and logistical challenges during a divorce, but it’s in the best interests of successful parenting to work out those issues with the appropriate professionals rather than get the kids involved.
Source: myfoxatlanta.com, “Successful co-parenting amid strain of divorce,” Tacoma Perry, June 24, 2013
