Coparenting is complicated and the school year can complicate things further. Without communication and cooperation, parents may have difficulty navigating the yar ahead. Keep reading for tips on coparenting during the school year.
Competition Isn’t the Goal
Some parents feel the need to compete for their child’s attention, but this hurts the child in the long run. Leverage is never productive and children love their parents and don’t want to see them fall apart. Both parents should be actively involved at all times.
Plan Ahead
While you can’t plan for anything, it’s important to have a plan in place instead of scrambling to meet the issue head on unprepared. Discuss sharing the cost of school supplies and how each parent will handle parent-teacher conferences. This is key to the child’s success and the relationship between each parent.
Some things to discuss beforehand:
- Parent teacher conferences
- Routines
- Games and performances
- Tutoring
- Finances
Share Costs
As mentioned previously, sharing the cost of school supplies is crucial to the health of the parents’ relationship. School can be expensive from supplies to sports gear and academic tutoring. These expenses add up quickly especially if the child attends private school which requires tuition.
Share Information
If a child needs help with their homework, has disciplinary issues or is struggling with other things, it’s crucial that parents share this responsibility and information. Children need as much support from both parents as possible and unless there is a legal reason why parents cannot have contact with one another, communication is key.
Joint Support
Recitals, games, and performances are important to children and they should be important to both parents. When a child is involved with activities, both parents should be there to support them as much as possible.
Share a Calendar
Shared calendars help to eliminate confusion and foster communication. You and your ex can discuss things ahead of time, put them on the calendar, and move on. This makes it easier to deal with issues or complications that may arise.
It’s also important to recognize your legal options. For legal help with your parenting plan, contact Smith Law Offices, LLC.