The Art of Co-parenting
There is no shortage of complex decisions involved when trying to successfully co-parent. Whether it’s a pickup schedule, discipline strategies, household rules, medical care, or simple communication skills; co-parenting is a learned skill. It takes time, patience, and dedication to become a team of 2 or a team of 4 if both parents are married.
We have compiled a list of tips to get you coparenting like a pro for 2023.
The BIG 1st step:
Let go of the past. You cannot possibly move forward in a positive light if you are harboring feelings from the past. No matter what happened in the past, let it go and move on for the sake of your child.
2. Focus on your baby
- At this point, the single only thing that matters is the wellbeing of your child.
3. Communicate
- I cannot stress this enough, communication is VITAL. Be clear, be prompt, and be respectful. Be cooperative. Communicate directly with the other parent, don’t go through a step parent or someone who the information could be miscommunicated to.
4. LISTEN
- Listen to each other's needs and wants. Don’t interrupt. Listen to the co-parent speak, then formulate your response appropriately.
5. Understand that the best parents work together.
- Working together makes you a GOOD parent. If you have mutually agreed upon rules such as a curfew or screen time, follow those rules.
6. Plan for holidays and vacations
- Give as much advance notice as possible.
- Discuss the schedule and give time for your co-parent to respond with any questions and concerns.
- If the shared child simply cannot come for whatever reason, that’s okay. You must do what is best for everyone.
- Keep holiday schedules as consistent as possible so you don’t disrupt the routine.
- Try not to plan vacations during the time the co-parent has the child, if possible. If the vacation must take place during that time, be sure to offer an alternative solution for that parent to still have their time.
7. Compromise
- If there is something you are struggling to agree on, find a medium that you can at least live with. Be flexible to work together to find a solution that makes sense.
8. Lastly, be calm, be cool, and focus on the child. Focus on having fun and enjoying life as a parent!