Child Custody and Successful Co Parenting Tips

Many times in my practice when the parties are undergoing a child custody/ visitation dispute I often stress the importance of co-parenting. It may seem like a vague concept but for the parents they need to get used to the idea of sharing parenting responsibility even more now that they are going through a divorce.

For parents who are divorced or separated, it is extremely important to learn how to co-parent effectively. I’ve found an article that provides 5 steps to successful co-parenting. Co-parenting involves jointly parenting and cooperating with each other to ensure the most consistent life and choices for your children.

Below are the 5 steps to successful co-parenting offered by the article:

1. Don’t share your feelings about each other with the children. This tip is important because the children should not be a sounding board for you to vilify the other parent. It places the child in the middle of any disputes.

2. Maintain respect for your ex. They are your child’s other parent after all. The child benefits from the time they spend with the other parent no matter how minimal and small.

3. Keep the lines of communication open. Find a way for you to have respectful communication with the other person. For the kids sake, keep the communication lines open so you can successfully raise your children. There are many technological advances which can assist with communication if face to face is not an option.

4. Allow change and don’t worry if you get scared. It's ok to accept that change is happening and that it can be scary. Feeling scared simply signals the importance of what you and the other parent are undertaking.

5. Talk to and listen to your kids regarding their concerns of the parenting arrangement. Don't expect every detail to be figured out right away, but encourage your kids to share their concerns and questions with both of you.

If there are any legal questions you may have, I encourage you to, please contact my San Jose Divorce Lawyers office. My San Jose Family Lawyer offices assists many people who are going through family law related issues. We have many Affordable San Jose Divorce Lawyer solutions for many different budgets. We help many individuals through this very chaotic period in their life. Proudly serving the following cities, Fremont, Milpitas, Los Gatos, Cupertino, Mountain View, and Santa Clara.