Your divorce feels easy. You’re both actually happy about the split, as it was a mutual decision that you believe is right for both of you. Now comes the parenting plan.
Don’t assume that means every step in the divorce process is going to be equally easy. Many parents disagree when they start crafting a parenting plan and a child custody agreement. They both want what’s best for the kids, but they really don’t agree on what that means.
There are a lot of reasons that this happens, but one is simply that you have different parenting styles. Childhood development experts note that you don’t create these styles out of the blue after your kids are born. You learn how to be a parent, starting years earlier. You create your own style based on the things you absorb from your own parents.
That doesn’t mean you want to be exactly like your parents. It could mean exactly the opposite; maybe you didn’t like your own upbringing, and you want to do everything in your power to be different.
Either way, you still have your own unique experiences that have shaped your personality, your own goals as a parent, and your own style of parenting you want to employ. While you may have compromised for your spouse during marriage, will you do it after a divorce?
Establishing Parenting Time Is Not Easy
It’s important for parents to know that this can be a very hard and contentious issue, even when everything else goes well. It’s also a very important issue because you must consider the child’s best interests. Be sure you understand your rights, what the child needs, and what legal steps to take to set up the best possible custody situation. Seek out competent legal assistance to guide you through this process.
Source: Anxious Toddlers, “What to Do When YouDisagree on Parenting Issues,” accessed Sep. 08, 2017