Raising a child is challenging and complicated. The situation is even more complex when you are separated or divorced from your co-parent.
There are several ways that you can improve communication with your co-parent when disputes arise.
Good communication is the key to a successful co-parenting relationship. You do not have to like your co-parent or choose to talk to them about other topics, but you must talk to them about your children.
Remember this when they say something that upsets or angers you. Take some time to think and reflect before responding, but do not simply ignore your co-parent. You share a child with them, which means you must communicate.
Be a good listener
This means you must listen to them. You do not have to agree with them but hear them out when you discuss issues and show them that you are listening. Everyone wants to feel heard and that their position matters.
If you have a custody agreement or order from a court, you must follow it. Your order might contain language about how you and your co-parent communicate.
You could be fine with no boundaries set on communication, allowing the both of you to talk freely either verbally, in writing or in person. Whichever way you choose to communicate, there will likely be times of conflict, and communicating well is important.
If you do not have any boundaries on how you communicate, set them. Many parents decide to only communicate in writing. The easiest way to do this is usually through text message, but some parents choose to use a parenting app. There are many communication options out there. Pick the one that works best for you.
Talking vs. texting
At the same time, be flexible when necessary. Communicating in writing all the time can prevent misunderstandings, since there is evidence of what each of you said, but sometimes a problem can be resolved more easily with a quick phone call instead of several paragraphs of texts.
Sometimes disputes arise that cannot be resolved, no matter how well you communicate with each other, which means you could be headed for custody court. It is important that you are prepared for that type of situation if it should become a reality.