One thing you always want to remember when interacting with your former spouse or co-parent is that there was a time when you cared for and respected this person. Try your hardest to draw on those positive feelings when creating your new and improved relationship with your co-parent.

Also, remember that this person is a “lifer” to you. That is, that they are probably going to be around for a long time, not just until your children reach the age of majority. You will be (hopefully) attending graduations, weddings and births, and other special events in your children’s lives. Isn’t it worth it to bury the hatchet? For your kids?

One of the biggest challenges to divorcing and divorced families is effectively co-parenting their children together. Usually, during these times, the communication is not at its best, and the parents have to make an extra special effort to work together for the benefit of their children.

One helpful tip is to always remember that your children love both of you, and it means everything to them to see that you are getting along. Children often feel guilty and responsible for a divorce, so the very best gift you can give them is to treat your co-parent with respect and dignity.

Every parent knows that a critical component in raising psychologically healthy children is for the parents to present a united front to their children. If they don’t, the children may play one parent against another in order to get their way. This is never so true as when the parents are getting a divorce, or are already divorced.