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Posted: Monday, June 11, 2012, 8:55 am
Neil Sedaka was right: breaking up is hard to do, and while divorce is painful for adults it is even more so for children. According to experts, co-parenting amicably with an ex is the best way to ensure children's needs are met and they have a close relationship with both parents.
It makes sense to move past feelings of resentment and establish a parenting partnership with your former spouse, but actually doing so may be difficult. At HelpGuide.org, a non-profit resource for mental health and other issues, Melinda Smith, MA, offers some Tips for Divorced Parents:
"It may be helpful to start thinking of your relationship with your ex as a completely new one-one that is entirely about the well-being of your children, and not about either of you. Your marriage may be over, but your family is not; doing what is best for your kids is your most important priority."
Research shows that when children have the support of adults who parent together, they benefit. WeCanParentTogether.org outlines the importance of co-parenting, referencing a 2007 article that reports problems with social adaptation, preschool and school achievement, anxiety and aggressiveness result when there are problems with co-parenting during infant through elementary school years.
Get a new perspective on co-parenting from Ellen Seigel, a licensed clinical social worker, on June 28. During Parenting 101: Parenting in Two Homes, which will start at 7pm at Northwest Library, she'll discuss developing rules, living patterns, values and even vocabulary.
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