How to Co-Parent With a Difficult Ex-Spouse

A difficult divorce can be made even more difficult when there are children involved. When it comes to your children, you and your ex-spouse will need to come up with a co-parenting plan. However, that may not always be easy. Although you may not want to create conflict with your ex-spouse, you may not always agree with their parenting style.

Working out a Parenting Agreement

After a divorce it is important to work on a parenting agreement that involves figuring out how both parents will share time with their children and how they will share in decision making. Parenting agreements may be drafted with the help of each parent’s attorneys. A finalized parenting agreement is a court order that can be enforced if one party does not abide by it.

It is recommended that spouses work with a mediator when coming up with a parenting agreement to get issues settled outside of court. Decisions that parents may not agree on include:

• Education – When it comes to education, deciding where a child will attend school, emergency contacts, and calendaring events are all things that will need to be decided between two parents.
• Religion – Decisions must be made regarding where the child will worship and what the child will learn in terms of religion.
• Medical decisions – This refers to emergency care, scheduling checkups and physicals, and communication with healthcare providers.

Types of Shared Custody

There are a variety of different arrangements when the court makes custody decisions. Terms and specifics may vary by state, but examples of these arrangements include:

• Sole custody – When a parent has sole custody it means that they have the legal capacity to act on the child’s behalf.
• Joint custody – Both parents share joint legal custody and joint physical custody.
• Split custody – Custody is shared equally or when one parent has more time with the children than the other.
• Third-person custody – When the court gives custody of the children to a third party if they sought custody. This usually happens when the children’s parents are unable to care for them.

When a Court Needs to Intervene

If you and your ex-spouse cannot agree on a co-parenting schedule, the court will set one for you. As a general rule, courts allow a generous amount of parenting time for both parties, but also looks out for the best interest of the child when making this decision. The court considers factors such as:

• The mental, emotional and physical health of each parent;
• The financial status of each parent;
• The relationship that each parent has with the children; and
• The community in which each parent lives.

Philadelphia Divorce Lawyers at Freedman & Lorry, P.C. Represent Clients Struggling With Child Custody Issues

If you are going through a divorce that involves co-parenting, you need a lawyer that will fight for your best interest and that of your children. Contact a Philadelphia divorce lawyer at Freedman & Lorry, P.C. today for a free consultation by calling 888-999-1962 or contact us online. Our offices are in Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Pinehurst, North Carolina, and we represent clients throughout the area.