Divorced couples that share children must continue to communicate with each other. The psychological well-being of their kids depends on parental communication.
If you have ever wished for a way to turn off or tune out your ex and never speak with them again, you are not alone. Unfortunately, you can’t do that when you want to raise happy, healthy children after your divorce.
Work on parental communications
Since you cannot ignore your co-parent, maybe you can improve the communications you share. It sounds easier said than done, but the tips below can help. However, you must commit to the process as it could take a while to redesign your system of communication. Try these:
- Keep it relevant. If your ex tries to draw you into an argument instead of discussing your children, it is okay to end the conversation politely. After you do this for a time, your co-parent will probably stop trying to engage you.
- Keep it current. The present is no time for divorced parents to discuss vague or long-term issues that may impact their kids in the future. If your co-parent persists in steering discussions about your two-year-old towards their far-off college education, disengage yourself from the conversation.
- Keep it fair. When your ex wants to talk about matters relevant to your children, it is only fair to pay attention, especially if you want the same treatment. Further, when you don’t listen, you could miss finding out about something that affects your kids.
If your efforts to repair communications with your ex fail, perhaps your custody and visitation arrangements aren’t working out. Learning more about Georgia child custody and parenting plans can help determine if modifying your court order will help.