Tips for parenting after a divorce

Parenting a child after a divorce can be a challenge for anyone, but it can be an especially difficult challenge when the child’s other parent is a toxic individual. Ideally, parents will spend less time trying to win arguments with each other and more time focusing on the needs of their children. Generally speaking, a child does better when a parent responds appropriately to negativity. In some cases, it is a good idea to not respond to negative words or actions.

Parents can help themselves by setting boundaries as to how and when they will communicate with each other. For instance, it may be worthwhile to limit conversations to certain topics that will be discussed by exchanging emails or phone calls. It may also be a good idea to not interact with a former spouse online if interactions are not healthy for the parent or child.

It may be necessary to get the courts involved when a former spouse fails to honor or respect reasonable boundaries. A judge may also have ways to sanction an individual who fails to honor the terms of a court order. Ideally, those who take a domestic dispute to court will have a record of what happened and when it happened. The other parent does not need to know that incidents are being documented.

The best interests of the child are the top priority in a child custody or support case. Therefore, both parents may be allowed to have access to a child regardless of their feelings for each other. Parents who violate a court order may be held in contempt unless there is a good reason for doing so. An attorney may be able to help a parent understand his or her rights and responsibilities in a family law case.