When Kentucky parents get divorced, they may still have to maintain a co-parenting relationship for years. The most important aspect of this relationship is making sure they put the best interests of the children first. This includes encouraging the child’s relationship with the other parent regardless of any animosity between the exes.
Differences in parenting styles may be a factor in divorce. Therefore, parents should try to establish broad general rules that are consistent between households. They may need to use text and email for communicating about scheduling issues to prevent conflict that could arise during in-person or phone conversations. A large calendar in each home could help keep parents and children current regarding the visitation schedule.
Children should never feel like they cannot talk about one parent in front of the other or that they are caught in the middle of a divorce. Furthermore, parents should avoid giving children the impression that they will get back together. They should be honest in an age-appropriate way about the reasons for the divorce without going into too much detail. As parents begin to date others, they should only introduce their children to someone they are serious about. That person should step into an assistant parenting role rather than trying to assume full parenting duties. Finally, parents should attend important events for children at the same time without creating issues.
There are a number of different types of custody and visitation schedules that may be right for parents and children. These could be worked out during divorce negotiations or decided on by a judge. If parents are sharing custody, the child will spend roughly half their time with each household. An attorney could help a client fight for a fair custody schedule.