Tips For Sharing Child Custody With Your Ex

If you share custody of your child with your ex, and you have been doing so for a while, you may have noticed that it is not always easy. On the flip side, if you are someone who is recently divorced and is about to begin sharing custody of your child, you may be wondering what to expect. For this very reason, our firm has created this short list of tips regarding sharing child custody, no matter what stage of the process you are in. Please continue reading and speak with our Bergen County family law attorneys to learn more.

  1. Never badmouth your ex to your child. This is one of the most important, if not the most important aspect of sharing custody of a child. No matter how much you feel as though your child should know about who your spouse “really is,” there have been countless studies that show this does far more harm than good. That is why you should always refrain from badmouthing your ex. Remember, they are your child’s parent, too.
  2. Always put your children first. Of course, this is a challenging time in your life, and your needs are important as well. However, when it comes to your children, there is nothing more important than their needs. This is why you should not treat child custody as a battle that has to be won. If it is in your child’s best interests to live with/spend more time with his/her other parent, at least for the time being, you should respect this and do whatever is in your child’s best interests.
  3. Try and communicate as best as you can with your former spouse. Of course, this is not always easy, as you well know. However, doing so can make your life easier, as compromising with your former spouse not only allows you to make sober, rational decisions that work for everyone, but it also shows your child that it is always best to compromise and work with one another, even in the face of adversity.

Of course, our job is not to tell you how to parent your child. However, following the aforementioned advice, we find, helps parents and their children make the best of a complicated situation. For any additional questions, give us a call today.

Contact our experienced Bergen County firm

At Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients to understand and protect their legal rights before, during, and after the divorce process in towns across New Jersey and Bergen County, including Hackensack, Ridgewood, Paramus, Teaneck, and Fort Lee. To speak with our team of divorce lawyers today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your concerns about your divorce, please contact us online, or through our Hackensack, NJ office at (201) 397-1750.

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