Divorce is one of the most devastating events in your life, and the end of your marriage rarely has positive effects. Regardless, your role as a parent continues no matter your marital status. Whether you are a custodial or non-custodial parent, you still have a role to play in caring for your child and ensuring that you continue doing your parental duties as best as possible. There are a few ways you can aid your child’s development to keep the relationship between you running smoothly and effectively.
Have a Healthy and Respectful Co-Parenting Relationship
After separation or divorce, it can be challenging to see your ex in the same light, but the best way to help your child cope with the divorce is to be cordial and respect your ex. Talking down on your ex and shaming them to your child reinforces negative biases and feelings toward the parent and can hinder your child’s trust with their parents.
Avoid arguments and outbursts with your ex in front of your child. Keep your discussions and conversations on a respectful level and air out any disagreements privately. Your child shouldn’t feel as if they have to pick sides, and if they do, resentment of both parents may follow.
Create a Plan For Parenting Your Child
One way to make parenting much easier on divorced parents is to create a plan for how you will care for your child and stick to that plan at all costs. Include disciplinary measures, birthdays, and other events you might want to visit with your child. You might have a parenting plan based on the ruling of your divorce, or you might want to consider an amicable divorce if you and your spouse’s relationship isn’t frayed. Either way, stick to that plan and be sure that any adjustments you make aren’t in violation of your terms. Your child is going through a difficult time, but you can make it much easier with a schedule they can follow.
Keep an Open Line of Communication
Never make your child feel afraid to speak to you. Constantly keep in touch, whether through text message, FaceTime, or other social media apps. You want to stay involved with your children and have them feel like you’re involved with them. This could fall under your parenting plan if laid out by the court, but if not, you want to be sure your child can contact you at any point.
Open Your Home to Them
A great way to help your relationship with your child is to ensure your home is their home. The rules of your divorce matter for this as well, but if you and your child can bond over shared living arrangements away from their regular home, you open up a new element to your relationship.
Have them over to discuss academic performance or have activities planned out before they come over to help associate your new place with comfort. Consider leaving them a room they can stay in whenever they come over and allowing them to decorate and leave their favorite items around without worry.
Start a Hobby or Have a Shared Interest
One of the best ways you and your child can adjust to divorce is by having a shared interest you both enjoy doing. Watching sports, playing video games, sharing career goals, or even having a common dinner location together can help make conversations flow easier.
At the very least, you want to show an interest in your child’s hobbies and interests. Attend sporting events or school plays, and be curious and open to discussing things your child likes, even if you don’t know much about the subject.
Keith Family Law Can Help You Stay Involved With Your Child
It can be tough to know how to proceed post-divorce, and it’s never a bad thing to seek professional help. Keith Family Law’s experts have experienced divorce through multiple views and lenses, and we can help divorced families get a legal agreement plan that satisfies parents and child.
Connect with us to discuss staying involved with your children after divorce and find a process that works for you.
