614-241-2174Divorced people in Ohio typically cooperate as co-parents to their children, but vindictive or controlling ex-partners can make the journey more difficult than it already is. A person feeling undermined by a quarrelsome or unreliable co-parent could reduce conflict with mindfulness and communication strategies.
Self-reflection forms the first step in the process. Parents could try to identify hot-button issues that their exes might trigger on purpose. Identification of sensitive subjects could help people halt their natural responses and avoid taking the bait laid out by difficult exes. When a co-parent does something upsetting, a person could take a few moments or even a whole day before responding. Pausing gives people a chance to come down from strong emotions and make more rational responses. Ultimately, people can only control their reactions and not their former partners. If face-to-face communications too often produce arguments, then parents could restrict communications to only email or online family communication portals.
When co-parents continually let down their families by violating custody schedules or failing to pay child support, the other parties should start to document the problems. This record could provide evidence if someone has to petition a family court to change custody or visitation or enforce child support collection.
A person struggling to parent children alongside an uncooperative or combative co-parent might want to enlist legal support. Legal representation might empower a parent overwhelmed by a deteriorating situation that could be disrupting the children’s lives. An attorney may be able to review the facts and prepare the case for court. While keeping the best interests of the children in the foreground, an attorney may communicate why custody or parenting time needs to be altered.