Divorce isn’t just the end of your marriage. It also marks a significant transition for your entire family. As a married parent in Louisiana, you will have to figure out a way to share custody with your ex. The two of you may have a hard time agreeing on what is fair and appropriate for your children. You may also struggle to contain your emotional responses when you have to frequently interact with your ex.
Thankfully, divorcing with young children and co-parenting following a contentious divorce have become very common practices. There have never been more resources available for parents trying to minimize the stress and conflict involved in raising their children across two households.
What tools can help adults trying to share custody during a separation or divorce in Louisiana?
Parenting classes
While nothing compares with hands-on experience, there is something to be said for expert instruction. You may need a refresher on child psychology, especially during what will be a high-conflict time for your family. Attending a class on your own or with your ex could help you both develop skills for interacting with one another and supporting your children during and after your divorce.
Co-parenting apps
You and your ex will need to frequently communicate with one another about your schedule, your children’s school performance and other important family matters. The less you have to discuss face-to-face while emotions are high, the better.
Co-parenting apps are helpful because they take the emotions out of communications between you and your ex. They also provide a comprehensive record of all of your conversations about parenting and your schedule.
Co-parenting or divorce therapy
Maybe you and your ex need to work with one another because you don’t currently have good conflict resolution or communication skills. Perhaps the two of you can interact appropriately, but you find dealing with your ex to be a very emotionally-draining experience.
Whether you need tools to help manage your relationship or support to control your own emotional reactions, counseling or therapy could be helpful. You could attend on your own or with your ex.
All three of these tools can be very powerful for minimizing conflict and improving accountability throughout your divorce and as you co-parent. Thinking about possible sources of conflict ahead of time can help parents better prepare for the challenges of shared custody scenarios.