Parents who end their romantic relationship will still have to work together to raise their children. One of the things that this entails is the children going back and forth from one home to another. The days when the transition from Mom’s house to Dad’s house or the other way around can be difficult.
It’s up to the adults in the situation to ensure that these days are as calm as possible. The children may dread those days because they worry about their parents fighting. Making some small changes to the changeover days may benefit the children.
Never discuss contentious matters
Neither adult should bring up contentious matters on changeover days. These discussions can happen over the phone or via electronic communication on other days when the child isn’t around. The last thing that the kids need during the custodial transition is to hear the adults they love fighting over things that have to do with them.
Always drop off, never pick up
Try to always have the parent who has the children drop them off to the other parent. This gives the child the drive to prepare themselves for the changeover. It’s often easier for the children than sitting around waiting for one parent to show up to pick them up, so this is an important stress-management move for your kids.
Your parenting plan is the key to making sure that your children have the support they need. This outlines the responsibilities for each parent and sets the schedule for parenting time. When you make this plan, you should focus on what the kids need right now. As their needs change, you can modify the terms.