Communication is key to co-parenting children after divorce

Parenting after divorce can be incredibly complicated. Fortunately, there are many suitable ways to parent children - just as there can be many different appropriate ways in which to divide assets between divorcing spouses. While some couples may choose to split everything from physical custody to legal decisions fifty-fifty, others may choose a completely different path. As every Minnesota parent knows, there is no one way to raise a child or solve co-parenting and post divorce child custody concerns.

In a recent article, readers responded to questions concerning the best way to co-parent children following the end of a marriage. The article was a follow-up from a previous article on stress-free co-parenting. While the notion of stress-free parenting may seem like a bit of a joke, there are ways for parents to work together, even after a divorce, and to raise their children in a happy and healthy environment with minimal stress.

Among the many wonderful pieces of advice readers provided, one of the most common and perhaps insightful involved communication skills. Strong communication is imperative in any post-divorce relationship involving children. While a written agreement can address many issues, such as parenting time and visitation rights, there will inevitably be times when parents must face an unexpected change in events, and the only way to address these unexpected issues is to communicate in some manner with the other parent.

Child custody issues are among the most complex and emotional issues in any divorce. Next to dividing complex assets, child custody disputes often take the most amount of time and end up costing the most amount of money. Couples who communicate, however, have the best chances of resolving these issues quickly. However, when the damage is too deep and it is simply not possible to work together, a strong advocate is vital to ensuring the rights of parents who are going through a divorce.

Source: Huffington Post, "Parenting After Divorce: How To Co-Parent More Peacefully, According to Our Readers," Feb. 11, 2013