Keeping good communication with your co-parent is important to give your child a good life. A co-parenting plan allows you to discuss many issues in advance with your child’s other parent. You may resolve a lot of disputes before they happen. Psychology Today explains that you might even establish what not to talk about during your co-parenting life.
It may seem strange that there are some things you don’t want to share or you do not want your co-parent to discuss. But as someone who has gone through a divorce, you understand that a wrong word spoken can cause strife. Establishing boundaries of privacy may keep that from happening again.
What co-parenting plans can address
When you sit down to work out a co-parenting plan, anything concerning your child is on the table. You want to address how to have holiday visits, how to do your child’s birthday, decisions regarding travel, afterschool activities, how long your child can be online, among other matters.
You should also address important personal issues such as how to conduct your child’s religious training if you and your co-parent belong to a particular faith. You may also talk about how to introduce a new romantic partner to your child. And there is also the matter of how to handle communication.
Establish boundaries for communication
Co-parents should define communication in a number of ways. Consider what your child does not need to know or should not know and make sure your co-parent agrees. Think about what you should not talk about out loud when your child is around. You and your co-parent may decide to text or use email to address these matters instead.
You also want to establish what you and your co-parent should not discuss concerning your private lives. If you know some issues will be flashpoints for argument, make sure to designate those issues as off-limits. You probably do not want to hear about your co-parent’s love life or the perks your co-parent enjoys at a job. Your co-parent may likewise not want to hear about your social life.
Work for the good of your child
It might sound insulting for your co-parent to ask you to remain silent about some matters, but doing so may promote the harmony you want in your co-parenting life. The important thing is that your child has a healthy upbringing. You may even grow to appreciate the boundaries of privacy you and your co-parent have created.