As a newly divorced parent, you may have quite an adjustment ahead of you as you learn to navigate your new life in Washington. While learning how to make the divorce process as smooth as possible, do yourself (and your kids) a favor and learn how to communicate with your ex-spouse.
HelpGuide has a few communication tips you can use. Learn how to avoid a communication disaster with your child’s other parent that you may not see coming.
Let logic take the wheel
With every interaction with your co-parent, try your best to remove hurt feelings and anger from the equation. When you allow bitterness and negative emotions to bubble to the surface, frustration is sure to quickly take the reins. If you find that you have trouble setting your emotions about the divorce aside, you may want to look into talking with a professional.
Learn how to handle disagreements
Even if you and the other parent remain civil after the divorce and while raising your children in separate households, there may come a time when you disagree. When you do, you have to learn how to operate from a place of respect to resolve matters. Additionally, you have to learn to recognize what truly matters and what is little more than a trivial matter. Learn how to compromise and see the situation from your co-parent’s perspective.
Keep the focus on your kids
If you had an especially turbulent marriage and divorce, you and your ex-spouse may bring up marital issues when communicating about the kids. You can better avoid this by maintaining a business-like style of communication. Just as you likely would not bring up marital or divorce problems in the middle of a business meeting, you want to take the same approach when communicating with the other parent.
This information is only intended to educate and should not be interpreted as legal advice.