If you are no longer in a relationship with the other parent of your child, you will likely need to share custody with them or have a visitation arrangement in place. If you are used to spending the majority of time with your child and they are very attached to you, the prospect of handing them over to their other parent may be met with feelings of resistance or dread.
It may be that you are used to being the primary caregiver of your child, or you may feel that your child and their other parent do not yet have a strong enough bond for extended visitation. No matter what you are feeling, the following are some tips for dealing with the emotions you have about your child’s visitation agreement.
Understand that it’s normal to have mixed feelings
Having mixed feelings about your child’s new visitation plan does not mean that you are selfish. You are trying to protect your child, and these feelings are a normal part of the process.
Try to manage your anger toward your ex
If you have anger toward your ex, it’s important that you try to manage it. Set healthy boundaries and try to get the anger out in another way such as through exercise and talking to friends.
Remember that you are probably going to miss your child hugely during the first times that they visit the other parent, but your focus always has to be on your child’s well-being. If you don’t think that the visitation is in the best interests of your child, you may want to have the visitation plan modified or explore other options with the assistance of your attorney.