Some divorces are amicable and parties walk away friends. Some divorces are more difficult and neither party wants to communicate with the other. If children are involved, communication will be important. There are several options, and most parties are capable of communicating through email, text, or www.ourfamilywizard.com. Several strategies will be helpful in keeping lines of communication open and productive:
- Get your thoughts organized. Write down bullet points you need to talk about so you can keep the conversation or email efficient.
- Choose a method of communication and stick to it. Face to face? Text? Email?
- Set ground rules and stick to them. Cursing, threatening, and bringing up grudges or past incidents are not productive.
- Remember this is about the children. You already want the best for them, make sure you keep that in mind when you get frustrated.
- Listen to the other person. At some point in your relationship, you got along and decided to have the child. They are the other parent, and their concerns are valid. Take time to reflect – it is usually ok to say “Let me think about that and get back to you.”
- Take a class or speak to a counselor regarding efficient co-parenting. This is not an exhaustive list, and you may want more structure or specific advice relating to your case in particular. A class will have much more information. Teach yourself to use “I-statements” like “I feel” and stray away from “you-statements” like “you always” or “you never.”
Though this list is not meant to cover everything, it should help you get started. If additional time or attention is needed for your case, or you need the court’s intervention for enforcement or modification of the order, contact our office to set up an appointment with our experienced attorney.
