Some tips for co-parenting with infants
Co-parenting with infants and toddlers can be challenging for divorced parents. However, doing it successfully is vital. These are formative years for children, the time when they form their primary attachments.
According to an article in Psychology Today, exposure to conflict and diminished parent-child relationships can have an adverse effect on children.
Types of actions to eliminate during co-parenting with infants
It is in your children’s best interests that you eliminate the following during co-parenting:
- Engaging in conflict in front of your infant or toddler. Speak with each other privately if you disagree and are involved in an argument.
- Keeping the other parent away from your children. You should not purposefully try to keep the other parent away from the child based on your resentment.
- Past grudges. Let go of past bad experiences with the other parent. Instead, create positive experiences in the present.
Approaches parents can use to overcome conflict and enhance parent-child relationships
The following are some approaches that can help you with co-parenting:
- Stable schedules and routines. Frequent time spent with both parents is important. Long separations are not optimum. They can cause depression or anxiety in children. Each parent should have time to provide nurturing activities like bathing, bedtime routines, providing comfort in the middle of the night, etc. Keeping the schedule and routines regular creates a secure environment where the child knows what to expect.
- Put your child’s best interests first. Every action you take should be based on the child’s needs. Put their needs above your own.
- Share information. Let the other parent know about important information, such as what the child is eating and the child’s sleep schedule. Maintaining open communication about what concerns the child’s best interests is important.
Do you have questions about child custody or co-parenting?
There are a number of factors to consider before and after divorce regarding child custody and support, and co-parenting arrangements.
If you need legal advice and would like to discuss child custody, we can help.
The Law Office of Lindsey J. Wilson provides legal representation for clients in cases involving family law, custody and support, divorce, property division and modifications and enforcement.