Picking Your Battles When Co-Parenting After Your Virginia Divorce

The period following your Virginia divorce is filled with adjustments for you, your ex-husband, and your children.

If you were the primary caregiver for your children during your marriage, the Virginia child custody and visitation arrangements that come with divorce may create some anxiety for you.

Your children will likely be spending at least some time with your ex at his home and during that time will be under his supervision and discipline. You may feel that your ex doesn't know as well as you do about caring for and disciplining your children.

While this may be true in some cases, you should choose your battles wisely if you want to successfully co-parent after a Virginia divorce. Many attempts at co-parenting after divorce have been ruined by disagreements over relatively minor issues being blown out of proportion.

Of course, you should step in immediately if there's something going on that endangers your children's safety and well-being, but when it comes to reasonable differences in parenting style or discipline, it might be best to hold off on the attack.

If you find it necessary to draw attention to a minor issue, try to do so in a way that is civil and constructive. Your ex may genuinely be struggling to adapt to his new parenting schedule and responsibilities.

Now that you and your ex have separate living quarters, you are each entitled to your own house rules and discipline styles pertaining to minor issues. Your children should be aware of these things and understand that what is acceptable at one parent's home is not necessarily acceptable at the other's home.

Post-divorce co-parenting can present a number of challenges for any woman as she adjusts to her new family landscape. By having a Virginia divorce attorney on your side early on the in process, you can focus on developing new approaches to parenting, as your attorney focuses on handling the legal aspects of your case. 

Contacting a Virginia Divorce Attorney

Throughout your divorce proceedings, you'll naturally have a lot of questions specific to your circumstances. Get your questions answered by requesting one of our FREE divorce guides for women, or reserving your seat at our monthly divorce seminar - 757-425-5200.

The Virginia divorce attorneys at Hofheimer/Ferrebee are committed to fighting for your rights, assisting in child custody disputes, and advocating that you receive everything you are entitled to and need in order to start your new life.