Raising children after a divorce can be challenging, but it’s possible. Since the court will make decisions in their best interest and the parents will have a parenting plan, they can be brought up as they would have without the divorce.
If you are the non-custodial parent in your agreement, your kid(s) will visit according to a schedule. It’s crucial to make the most out of these visits.
The following are three things to avoid:
Talking about the other parent
It may not be a good idea to talk about the other parent with your kids. This may make them uncomfortable, and with time they may feel like your “spies.” They need to feel safe when spending time at your home. Thus, avoid asking about the other parent or even using your kids to relay messages, especially divorce-related ones.
Filling every minute
Of course, you want to spend quality time with your children, but this may not mean planning for every minute of the visit. Your kids should feel like they are home, and a highly structured plan may defeat this. You should have unplanned periods – you can cook, watch a movie, clean or just hang out.
Not parenting
It can be tempting to believe you need to be fun for visitation to be successful. However, your kids need you to be their parent. Therefore, while you should catch up with them and be their friend, they should understand you are their parent. You should discipline them when needed, help with school work, and so on.
What you do during visitation matters. You should avoid these things to have a smooth co-parenting experience. If you want to change your schedule, you can get legal guidance to make the right moves.