3 ways to improve communication as co-parents

Parenting together after your divorce can be challenging. If you do not manage those challenges well, it can result in conflict, which harms you and your children.

There are ways to reduce the chance of problems. Here are some of them:

#1. Outline how you can contact each other

You probably have written or unwritten rules about how and when you communicate with most people. For example, you know to only call your child’s teachers during school hours. Your boss knows not to call you on the weekend, and you know not to call your gran during her favorite soap opera.

As married partners, you probably contacted each other at any time of day without a thought. Now that you are divorcing, you need to realize that it is no longer acceptable. Even if it is about your kids, you should try to establish boundaries to avoid disrupting each other’s days unless, of course, it is a real emergency involving your children.

#2. Outline how you can contact your child

It can be hard to let go of worrying about your child. Yet you need to let them enjoy their time with the other parent. Consider establishing call times for each parent to contact the child when they are with the other parent. It prevents you from interrupting dinner or other important child-parent moments.

#3. Be respectful of each other’s time

Getting your child ready for a handover can be stressful for all involved. There may be a lot of last-minute running around to find school books or a favorite teddy. Yet you need to expect that and plan for it to avoid one parent feeling like the other is constantly wasting their time by being late.

Getting help to consider such things when making your parenting schedule can reduce the chance of communication problems later.