Sharing parenting duties with a divorced spouse might be difficult, but raising your children with as little drama as possible is well worth the effort. One way to help promote successful co-parenting is to attempt consistency in some areas with your co-parent.
You and your ex likely do not agree on everything. In fact, you might not agree on much except that your children deserve a good life. Still, Psychology Today describes some forms of consistency that co-parents should strive for.
Maintain openly friendly relations
Arguing with your ex can emotionally and psychologically damage your children, even if you do it over the phone. If you know your children are in earshot, be professional and include amicable words and phrases, such as wishing your ex a pleasant day. If you know you will have a troublesome chat with an ex, keep it as private as possible.
Keep similar home rules
Having two households with very different standards could confuse your children. You do not need to institute the same exact chores or time period on a tablet as your ex does. However, your offspring should maintain the same rules of behavior and discipline as they would when staying with the other parent.
Line up your schedule
Pay attention to how your ex wants to schedule regular events such as after-school activities. The two of you should try to keep similar parenting schedules so your children will not feel thrown off by having events at different times depending on the parent.
While consistency is important, also know when to be flexible. Your efforts to keep up similar standards and scheduling might help your loved ones adjust well to any parenting changes you must make.
