What is the Best Way to Co-Parent?

Co-parenting is one of the most important issues in a divorce case. You and your ex should both try your best to make the divorce as easy as possible on your children. Depending on your child custody type, not all co-parenting situations are 50/50. Still both parents should find the best way to co-parent and make their best efforts for the benefit of their children.

Whether you’ve just concluded your divorce, or trying to make co-parenting after divorce work for years, our Las Vegas child custody attorneys have a few tips on making things easier on everyone. In most cases, child experts believe having a relationship with both parents is what’s best for children.

Co-Parenting in a Las Vegas Divorce

With a good co-parenting strategy, your children ideally get the best of both worlds. They get all both you and your ex have to offer. Children crave the love, support, and attention that comes along with being good at co-parenting.

During and after divorce, both parents go through their own financial and emotional adjustments. So it’s challenging to put your children first when you yourself are under stress. But it’s important to emphasize the positives. So avoid speaking about your ex in negative terms when your children are present.

Here are a few positive tips – whether you’ve been co-parenting for a day or a decade.

• Check-in regularly with your children on how they’re feeling and any concerns they have.
• Be stable with routines, but flexible as your children’s needs grow and change.
• Keep any negativity about your ex-spouse away from your children.
• Spend time with your friends, family, a therapist, or on self-care.
• You don’t have to like your ex to be willing to work together on co-parenting.
• Keep your children and co-parenting time out of any negotiations regarding financial matters.
• Be aware that life marches on. If your ex has a new friend or dating partner it’s always best to be at least civil, and ideally friendly, to that new person. It’s also the best way to determine who is hanging out with your children.

When things get tough, just remember that if it’s in the best interests of your children, it’s worth it in the long run. If communication with your ex broke down long ago, think about what you might do to change it for the benefit of your children.

When You Feel Like You’ve Tried Everything

Sometimes the co-parenting plan agreements in your divorce decree just don’t work out in real life. Lifestyles, people, and your children change. What was fought for “in the heat of the battle” of divorce proceedings may not be the best solution as time passes and your children’s needs change.

The first step in addressing co-parent changes is to try to resolve the issues with your ex without family court intervention. If that doesn’t work and you need a custody modification or change in your parenting plan, we are here to help. You want what’s best for your children, and we want you to get that result.

Co-parents who can work together provide the best environment for their children. In the event that this is just not possible, then it’s time for the courts to become involved. Make sure you have an experienced divorce attorney in Las Vegas who specializes in divorce law, child custody, and child support on your side.