305-358-2330When parents divorce, it is inevitable that some co-parenting issues will arise from time to time. The good news is that in the majority of the cases, parents come out of the split with a resolve to work together and do whatever it takes to put the children’s best interests at the forefront—despite their personal feelings toward each other as individuals. For the other situations that are too difficult to resolve, there is a Coral Gables family law attorney.
Visit this site to learn more about the laws surrounding children and divorce in the state of Florida.
Unfortunately, in some cases, the emotions of one or both parents can cloud otherwise good judgment. Sometimes, rather than doing what is best for the children, parents make poor choices that can negatively affect everyone involved.
While your co-parent may not mean to negatively impact the children with their, that can be the unfortunate result. Here are a few tips to working with a difficult co-parent in these types of situations.
1. Do NOT badmouth your co-parent around your child(ren): Although this may be very tempting, it is never okay to disparage or badmouth your co-parent to your children. This kind of parental alienation not only damages the relationship between your children and their parent, the court takes it very seriously as well.
If the court believes you have tried to alienate your co-parent, you may risk parenting time. Trying to make your co-parent look bad will never end well, and everyone involved may up resenting you for trying to do so.
2. Do not retaliate: No matter what your co-parent does to be difficult, do not reciprocate!
3. Stay on the right track: If your co-parent consistently shows up late for drop-off or pick-up times or otherwise acts difficult, then it wouldn’t hurt to keep a log of each occurrence. This type of evidence will be important if you ever need to seek the court’s assistance. Rather than just “he said, she said” testimony, a detailed account of incidents will help the court to see what is going on…
4. Communicate before Court: If at all possible, try to calmly talk to your co-parent about problems or conflicts. See if there is any way to resolve these conflicts amicably. Be honest, and tell your co-parent how the difficulties are affecting the lives of you and the children. Find ways to compromise.
While you do not want to “threaten” with going to court, you should let your co-parent know that his or her difficulties are more than just simple annoyances and that you do take them seriously. The less a co-parent feels attacked, the more likely there is to be a positive outcome.
5. Mediation before litigation: Most importantly, remember that the court does NOT want to get involved with trivial parenting squabbles. When you finalized your divorce, you most likely agreed to, or were ordered to resolve any future parenting issues through mediation rather than seeking court intervention. Hopefully through mediation, your difficult co-parent will realize how his or her actions are causing headaches for everyone involved.
Read more about the mediation process and services with a qualified Coral Gables family law attorney.
With a Coral Gables Family Law Attorney, there IS a Resolution!
Whether you have an amicable or a strained relationship with your co-parent, it is a good idea to be prepare for conflict should one occur. The important thing to remember in these situations is that you should always play by the rules, no matter how difficult they may be.
For those issues that can’t be resolved amicably, or those conflicts that are too complex, consider working with a Coral Gables family law attorney. An experienced family law attorney will be able to look at your conflict objectively, provide legal advice, and even take legal action as necessary.
Check this out for more information on time sharing and child custody responsibilities in Florida, and how a Coral Gables family law attorney can help.
