Co-parenting can be challenging and, throughout the school year, you will likely encounter a few issues that require some serious teamwork. It is crucial to learn how to achieve solutions for day-to-day issues instead of going in and out of court, which will ultimately negatively affect your children. To help you effectively tackle the school year with your co-parent, we compiled a list of tips to get you through it.
Navigating Your Way Through the School Year
The start of the new school year is often a hectic time for any parent, regardless of their marital status. However, for newly divorced parents, it can be an even hairier situation to navigate. You might have questions regarding how to handle parent-teacher conferences or what to do when your children get into trouble at school. In most cases, the short answer is for you to work together. Since this is far easier said than done, continue reading to find out how you can put that into practice.
Here are some tips to help you effectively co-parent throughout the school year:
- Learn about the electronic communication options your children’s school provides: Schools no longer rely strictly on in-person communication or letters to share information with parents. Most school districts have online portals that allow parents to access their children’s information. Not only does this make it easier to ensure parents are aware of their children’s progress, but it also gives both parents equal access to this crucial information.
- Make sure the school has contact information for both households: The school should have contact information for you and your former spouse, so make sure they understand you are divorced and that it is imperative to contact both parents in the event of an emergency.
- Attend parent-teacher conference meetings together: If you are not on the best of terms with your ex-spouse, this one might be a little difficult. Focus on the matters at hand instead of the strained relationship you might have with your co-parent. After all, this meeting is about your children, so stay on task and avoid venturing into a conversation that does not serve your children’s interests.
- Discuss school projects: Unlike most homework assignments, school projects require a lot more time and effort, so you should both be aware of them to ensure your children have everything they need to complete their project no matter which parent they are staying with.
- Do not make this about you: If you still have a lot of feelings regarding your divorce, it can be hard to remove those feelings from the situation. However, to be an effective co-parent, you have to take your ego out of it. Your relationship with your co-parent is all about your children, so if you ever find yourself dwelling on the past, remember this is not about your ex-spouse or you.
Discuss Your Case with a Knowledgeable Family Law Attorney!
At DePrima Law, our family law team is experienced in handling even the most sensitive and complex legal matters, including child custody, divorce, and more. You do not have to go through this on your own.
Reach out to our law office at (716) 638-2633 to schedule a consultation!