Divorce is difficult for everyone—especially kids. If you have a difficult relationship with your ex-partner, it can be hard to keep that toxicity from spilling over and affecting your children. However, healthy co-parenting can help your children adapt to divorce and have positive relationships with both parents.
Co-parenting means that both parents play an active and positive role in their children’s lives. It gives kids a sense of security and stability. Here are some helpful tips:
Respect your kids’ boundaries
Avoid the temptation to bad-mouth your ex, or to treat your kids like your friends and overshare the gory details of your divorce. It’s important that kids have a good relationship with both parents and don’t feel like they must choose sides.
Give them permission to love the other parent
Children often feel conflicted after a divorce, especially if they’ve seen their parents hurt one another. It might be a good idea to explicitly tell your kids that it’s OK to love the other parent.
Kids are not spies or messengers
You might want to know what your ex is up to or convey a message you’re too angry to express in person. However, it’s not healthy for your kids to act as go-betweens. Take a deep breath and do it yourself.
At the Children’s Enchanted Learning Center, we prioritize kids’ emotional well-being and we are more than thrilled to see happy children come in and out of our doors every day. Children need to have a healthy environment where they can learn and grow, and they can get the support they need when they are enrolled in our childhood programs. Visit our office today to learn more about our admissions or contact us by calling 281-991-3999!