How to Deal With an Uncooperative Co-Parent After an Illinois Divorce

 Posted on June 16, 2020 in Divorce

Even when a divorce is friendly and parents are amicable with one another, co-parenting is not easy work. Co-parenting takes a lot of effort, communication, and a willingness to work together to be successful. In an ideal situation, both parents would be willing to put their own feelings and hurt aside to come together as a parental unit for their children. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Sometimes, a parent can get so caught up in their own emotions and personal vendettas that they lose sight of what is best for their children. The following advice can help you and your ex-spouse work together for the sake of your kids.

Making Co-Parenting Easier

Cooperative co-parenting is what every parent aims for after divorce from their children’s other parent. While it may seem difficult, effective co-parenting is not impossible. It simply takes a little bit of time and effort to make it work. If you are at odds with how to cope with an uncooperative co-parent, here are a few tips that can make things a little easier:

• Focus on your children. First, you should remind yourself that co-parenting is not about you or your ex. Co-parenting is about coming together to form a united front for your children. Even though putting your feelings aside may not always be successful, you should prevent your emotions from letting you make decisions related to co-parenting. Instead, consider what is best for your kids’ well-being.

• Stop trying to change your co-parent. The hardest thing for many co-parents to grasp is that their children’s other parent is not going to change. You can ask, beg, plead, but in the end, it is unlikely that your co-parent will change just because you asked. You need to remember that the only actions you can control when co-parenting are your own.

• Look into other forms of parenting. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your children are happy, healthy, and are not being affected by the quality of the relationship between you and their other parent. In some cases, this is impossible to accomplish with co-parenting. However, there are other ways you and your ex can raise your child if co-parenting does not work. The most popular alternative is parallel parenting, in which the parents have very limited contact with one another. This form of parenting is popular among those who have high-conflict or other difficult relationships.

Contact an Aurora Divorce Attorney

Parenting when you are not in a relationship with your child’s other parent can be extremely difficult. Not only do you likely have emotions leftover from your relationship with your child’s other parent, but you also have to find solutions for logistics, such as how your child will be transported between your homes. If you are struggling to communicate with your co-parent, you should speak with a knowledgeable Kane County parenting plan lawyer. At the Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, we can help you and your ex form a parenting plan that can help minimize conflict between the two of you. To schedule a private consultation, call us today at 630-409-8184.

Sources:

https://www.ourfamilywizard.com/blog/coping-uncooperative-co-parent

https://www.ourfamilywizard.com/blog/dealing-uncooperative-co-parent