Co-parenting requires that both parents work together to raise their children. When one of the adults is unwilling to work with the other, the arrangement isn’t going to work like it is supposed to. This proves to be challenging for everyone involved.
There are cases of co-parenting that just aren’t going to work out. Before you decide that you are going to try to switch to another parenting style, you should make sure that you are approaching the situation correctly.
One thing that is often difficult to handle in co-parenting is conflict. Just because you and your ex don’t agree on something doesn’t mean that he or she is being uncooperative. Part of being in a co-parenting relationship means that both adults are willing to negotiate to come up with solutions to the problems that they face. Neither parent is always going to be able to do everything exactly their way.
When you are coming up with the terms of this type of parenting arrangement, you need to make sure that the subjects that are likely to be contentious are covered. Scheduling and finances are two of the most common areas that lead to conflict.
Make sure that there are clear terms about when the child will have time with each parent, how important events like school functions will be handled and how vacations might be planned. Include information about how each parent will be notified of functions involving the children.
For finances, have a plan for who is going to cover which expenses and when reimbursement will be made. Both parents should be on the same page about all of the financial factors.
If there are still issues about what is going on with the situation, you might need to re-evaluate whether this style is actually right for your situation or not. It might be necessary to change the custody agreement.
Source: Our Family Wizard, “How to Cope with an Uncooperative Co-Parent,” accessed May 24, 2018