Making the shift from being in a romantic relationship to raising children as co-parents isn’t always easy. Emotions related to the end of the relationship can creep up without warning, and dealing with those can be challenging.
If you’re making this major change, it’s best to set some basic ground rules for co-parenting communication. This can help to ensure that you and your ex are on the same page about what’s expected and allowable.
Set topic expectations
It’s sometimes easy to slip back into speaking about the issues that led to the split, but that won’t be productive at all for co-parenting. Instead of doing that, commit to only speaking about matters related to the children. This can help to reduce the chance of contentious conversations causing problems.
Establish communication specifics
Besides committing to only topics related to the children, you also need to set the standards for how you will communicate. This can include the method of communication, times when it’s acceptable to send non-emergency messages and how long is considered reasonable for responses.
Remain willing to compromise
Co-parenting works best when both parents are willing to compromise with each other for the good of the children. Try not to think about what makes life easier for you or more difficult for your ex. Instead, consider each available option and how it will affect your children. Doing what’s best for the children should always be the priority.
It might be easier to co-parent if you and your ex have a comprehensive parenting plan set. This written document should outline as much as possible, including the parenting time schedule and major decisions. Working with someone who can assist with this might be beneficial.