How can you make your divorce easier on your child?
If you and your spouse are divorced, co-parenting is an approach that can help your children continue to feel loved and supported through the divorce without feeling like they have to turn into little adults.
All parents who get divorced think about the impact it will have on their children, but some parents are willing to set aside the differences and issues they have with their spouse to try to make things as normal as possible their children.
According to Carolyn over at Grown Up Child, there are plenty of ways to make shared custody and co-parenting easier for you and your children…
One brilliant tip involves having “doubles” of things. One set for mom’s house and one set for dad’s house. That way, they don’t have to worry about forgetting something at either house. There will be an extra iPod charger cord at both houses for instance. And both houses will be equipped with the art supplies that your kids love like crayons and coloring books.
The idea here is that your kids shouldn’t have to carry all of their possessions in a bag. Some things should remain constants at both houses.
Another tip is…
…to break up the shared custody by weeks. Your child spends one week at Dad’s house and the next week at mom’s house. She even suggests that you can get your kids a calendar and write D for Dad or M for Mom in it so that they can know what’s coming and have an easier time making plans with their friends.
This gives your kids some sense of stability and they aren’t just bouncing around from night to night at different houses.
And if you’re able to spend time with your ex without biting each others’ heads off, why not try some family outings? Carolyn suggests that your kids will appreciate not having to choose between Mom or Dad and will enjoy the time spent with both of you.
More Parenting Advice: What works for you and your kids when it comes to shared custody and spending time with your ex?
Guide To Making Shared Custody Work [The Grown Up Child]
