Divorce and how to make joint custody work

The divorce process can be difficult on everybody involved, including both the parents and children.

If you are going through a divorce and have at least one child with the partner, you know your former spouse will remain in your life for an extended period of time (at least until your child reaches age 18).

During the divorce process, you will settle on a child custody schedule with the other parent. This can be one of the most challenging parts of the process, as both parents are typically interested in spending as much time as possible with the child.

If you need help making a joint custody agreement work, here are a few tips to follow:

— Don’t speak poorly about your ex-spouse, especially when your child is around. Your divorce is in the past, and you should leave it there. It is time to focus on the well being of your child as you look toward the future.

— Be fair. Consider how you will feel if your former partner begins to treat you poorly in terms of custody schedules and commitments.

— A bad spouse is not necessarily a bad parent. Just because your marriage did not work out doesn’t mean the person will have a poor relationship with his or her child. Bad spouses can be great parents.

Nobody wants to go through divorce, nobody wants a child to suffer as a result, but this happens all too often.

As somebody going through a divorce, make sure you pay close attention to the joint custody agreement, including your responsibilities moving forward.

Source: Parents, “9 Rules to Make Joint Child Custody Work,” accessed July 14, 2015