Developing co-parenting arrangements in any divorce situation requires both parents to be objective, flexible and realistic to reach an agreement that is amicable and beneficial for their children. Divorcing Oregon couples have to put the best interests of their children at the center of every decision to create an environment that is conducive to their children’s growth and adjustment.
According to Psychology Today, there are certain behaviors that parents should participate in as they strive to create an optimal shared-parenting arrangement. These include the following:
- Parents should peak positively, especially when talking about their ex-spouse.
- Parents should set rules and establish parenting guidelines together, and they should enforce the rules even when the other spouse is not present.
- Parents should recognize each other’s strengths and utilize individual competencies in their parenting arrangements.
- Parents should maintain normalcy and not plan extravagant activities every time they see their children.
- Parents should communicate often and update each other on the welfare and progress of their children.
- Parents should discuss arrangements with extended family to guarantee that everyone understands when they will get to spend time with the children.
Parents should remember that parenting is hard and co-parenting presents unique challenges of its own. However, if they maintain flexibility and resiliency in challenging circumstances, their children will be inclined to do the same. Amicable relationships will be much less prone to contention, disputes and legal intervention.
The American Psychological Association reports that each year divorce affects nearly 40 to 50 percent of all married couples in the United States.