After navigating a divorce and a custody decision, you may feel as if you are at your limit for arguments and disagreements with your co-parent.
Learning about how to handle those problems in a constructive and positive way can help relieve stress for you both.
Keep others out of it
According to Psychology Today, one of the worst choices you can make after a divorce is to use your children as messengers. Trying to get one or more of them to talk to your ex-spouse on your behalf can cause confusion and frustration for all of you.
While dealing with disagreements, make sure to keep the discussion between just you two. Learning personal details about the other parent can leave children feeling stressed and upset.
Look ahead
After years of marriage, your first instinct when a problem arises may be to bring up old fights to help make your point to your co-parent. While it may seem tempting to do, this strategy can increase the feelings of tension and annoyance between you and him or her.
When this stress becomes too much to bear, you both may end up fighting. Instead, look ahead to the future and focus on the shared goals you both have, which often involve your children.
Use technology
One way to make sure tensions do not run too high is to focus on using text and emails. Written communication can help diffuse tension while talking about sensitive subjects.
While verbal conversations can lead to screaming or shouting, you can easily erase and retype any message you need to on a phone or computer. As time goes on, this can help you both to communicate more effectively and avoid stressful disagreements.
