You have probably seen stories on the internet and television about how divorced parents, and sometimes their new spouses, are working as a team to raise their children. Even though these stories are becoming more popular, there are still some parents who have challenging relationships with exes while they are trying to raise the children.
If you are dealing with an uncooperative ex, you might feel as though you are never going to make it through the upcoming years. Finding a plan to help you cope with their behavior can quickly become a priority.
One of the first things that you need to do is determine exactly what you need to focus on. Is it really a huge deal if your ex is letting the kids eat fast food twice a weekend when the parenting plan says that there is a once-per-week limit? In the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn’t. When you are dealing with an uncooperative ex, you should save your energy for the battles that are truly important.
Another consideration for you is that they might be behaving badly just to control you. The only person who is responsible for your mood and your reactions is you. Instead of letting them control you, remember that they are the one who has issues. Focus on ensuring the kids are happy and healthy and move on from there.
At some point, you might decide that you can’t do the co-parenting relationship with your ex any longer. This might necessitate a modification of the parenting plan, so be sure to keep that possibility in mind as you venture closer toward your children leaving the nest.