Divorce law is complex, which is why it’s best to have a divorce attorney in Owings Mills on your side to protect your interests. Although divorcing spouses often want the case to be resolved as quickly as possible, it’s necessary to remember that divorce isn’t always a one-time issue; if you share children in common with your spouse, you’ll need to be able to communicate effectively with him or her for years to come. Making the divorce process as amicable as possible may help prevent contentious child custody issues in the future and it will certainly improve your communication with your ex.
Agree on a Method
The first step toward effective co-parenting is a matter of logistics: Deciding which communication methods you will use. It may be necessary to make a phone call or have a face-to-face conversation in some cases, but if your relationship with your ex is strained, then it’s best to use more impersonal methods whenever possible. E-mail is an excellent choice because it gives you time to choose your wording carefully before responding. Plus, you can save all of your received and sent e-mails in case they are needed for future litigation. Regardless of which methods you choose, you should never use a child as a messenger.
Keep Each Other in the Loop
Agree to keep each other in the loop. Tell your ex about the important things going on in your child’s life (e.g., school pictures, immunizations, and major temper tantrums) and ask that you be kept informed if something happens at the other parent’s house that you need to know about.
Avoid Putting the Kids in the Middle
Children need stability and support . Witnessing hostility between their parents can inflict real psychological damage on children that can have lasting effects. Make an agreement with your ex to hide disagreements from the kids and to never make disparaging remarks about the other parent in front of the children.
Use Professional Language
Perceiving your relationship with your ex as a business relationship can support effective co-parenting. Use courteous, professional language with your ex when speaking, texting, or e-mailing. After writing an e-mail to your ex, take a minute to reread it before you press “Send.” Make sure there are no word choices or stylistic selections that could be misinterpreted. For example, writing something in all capital letters could be interpreted as hostility.