Going through a divorce is most difficult for the children. Conscientious parents who want what is best for them may take strides toward achieving a positive co-parenting relationship for the sake of their children. Some ways that parents can make the most of this difficult transition include the following:

Handle Difficult Emotions

Divorce can make a number of complex emotions to build up, including anger, sadness, grief, betrayal and fear. These feelings can emerge in the parents and their children. It is important that all parties be able to effectively communicate these emotions in order to work through them. Talking through these emotions honestly can often help aid families. The family may decide to talk through this information during mediation or in counseling. Once the parties are able to acknowledge these difficult emotions, they can discover ways on how to manage them.

Get on the Same Page

One of the most effective ways for parents to co-parent is to work together on a mutual agreement. Such an agreement can take into consideration several factors that can affect the family’s lives. This may include discussing how to handle living arrangements while a divorce action is pending, how holidays will be celebrated, how support will be allocated and other important issues and resolutions for short-term and long-term consideration. A mediator can help parents come up with an agreement that works best for all members of the family. Once these important decisions are decided, the parents can mutually communicate this plan to their children.

Help Each Other

Through the course of divorce and making the parenting plan, each spouse should strive to find ways to help the other. For example, the agreement can include a provision that takes into consideration the timing of when parents get out of work so that complying with the agreement does not pose a hardship. It can also include a provision that provides for a parent who has always participated in a certain extracurricular activity to remain active in this capacity. By helping each other, parents show that they can work together and depend on each other.