When your Texas marriage ends and you plan to share custody and parenting time with your child’s other parent, the two of you are going to have to figure out how to communicate with one another for your child’s benefit. Many people might prefer not to have to talk to their exes at all after the breakdown of a marriage, but this is rarely possible.
However, the Texas Attorney General has some recommendations about how you might improve communications between you and your child’s other parent and keep your child’s interests at the top of both your minds. To improve communications with your child’s mother or father, consider doing the following.
1. Arrange a set time for your child and the parent to talk
Many conflicts between parents arise because one parent feels as if the other is trying to withhold parenting time. Having a set time each day, or every other day, when the child speaks with the parent whose home he or she is not staying in may work wonders in terms of preventing future disputes.
2. Arrange a preferred method of communication
If the relationship between you and your child’s other parent is contentious, it may serve you well to decide to communicate exclusively through, say, email or text message.
3. Think of your co-parenting like a job
Some people also find it useful to think of the relationships they have with their co-parents as a business partnership. This may help you maintain respect and professionalism when dealing with your former partner.
Raising a child with someone else may not always be easy. Yet, by learning how to communicate effectively with the other parent, you may be able to put a stop to potential conflicts before they arise.