Divorce is usually hard on everyone involved, especially the children. Most Georgia divorced parents will admit that keeping a good relationship with the former spouse to make it easier on the children is usually harder than it seems. That is one aspect of the divorce that is extremely important, however.
According to one family therapist, there are some issues divorced parents are going to have to deal with to be successful co-parents to their children. Each parent needs to make sure his or her emotions are in check so that the children feel secure with all the change going on around them. One of the best ways to ensure this is to not express any negative feelings about the other parent around the children.
The therapist recommends a couple of habits to develop in dealing with the former spouse. One would be to physically or mentally see the children before responding to any type of communication. That action should help keep in mind what is best for the children, instead of focusing on any negativity between the two parents. Another habit is to treat the relationship with the former spouse as a business association, keeping as much emotion as possible out of any contact. There are also sharable online calendars where each parent can keep up with the activities and appointments of the children without needing to have so much verbal exchange, if that is a problem.
There are many changes a family, whether in Georgia or anywhere else, has to experience when going through divorce. The finances and the legalities alone can make parents bitter toward each other. The important thing is for the children to see as little of the ugliness of divorce in their parents as possible. When issues arise, it may be worth considering alternative dispute resolution options such as mediation or a collaborative divorce in an attempt to keep things on an even keel for the good of the changing family structure.
Source: myfoxatlanta.com, “Successful co-parenting amid strain of divorce,” Tacoma Perry, June 24, 2013