Co-Parenting Tips by Age Group [Infographic]

No matter what drove you apart, there is one thing that will always keep you together: your children.  Your divorce may have ended your marriage, but it did not end your responsibility when it comes to co-parenting your children together — and the more amicable you can make your co-parenting, the better it will be for everyone.

Summer is often challenging since schedules have changed to include vacations, camps, and other activities that must be coordinated together.  Here are some tips that will help things run more smoothly:

Make sure your parenting plan serves your children.

As part of the divorce process, you and your ex-spouse will have created a parenting plan that spelled out your new routine for holiday and vacation time.  However, as children grow, their own preferences for how they spend their time will change, so it’s a good idea to conduct an annual review of your parenting plan and make any necessary adjustments. 

Make communication a priority.

While it may be difficult for you to stay in regular communication with your ex, for the sake of your children, it is important that you do so.  One of the best ways to keep things on track is to maintain a shared calendar online that you can both view and edit as necessary.  You can use a free online tool like Google Calendar, or an app like Our Family Wizard that keeps a complete record of all the calendar dates and messages between parents.

Keep your children in the loop.

One of the toughest things about being a child of divorce is feeling that you have no control over what is happening to your family.  No matter what their age, keeping your children in the loop about their own schedule is important to make them feel a part of the new normal.  Post a calendar in a visible place in both homes (you can print from Google Calendar or your scheduling app) that they can refer to daily. 

This infographic from Hello Divorce provides some additional tips by age group:

If you find that your marriage doesn’t measure up and are considering divorce, we can help.  You can prepare to civilly resolve your divorce, heal, and move on with your life with a legal team that has helped individuals all over New Jersey to heal and prosper. Contact us today for your free consultation.