When you are going through a divorce or a separation, you can still be a good parent to your child and support them emotionally through this difficult ordeal. There are several things to keep in mind when you are trying to parent your child, remembering that he'she is probably confused and stressed by your separation. Most children benefit when both parents:
-Handle rules and punishment in a similar way
-Limit and avoid conflict in front of the child, including physical and emotional abuse
-Encourage and support contact with extended family and don't limit visitation with close friends or family such as with grandparents. Children are already feeling a sense of loss with his parents separating, do not extend this feeling to his other family and close friends
-Have a flexible schedule to each can take advantage of special events with the child
-Give advance notice to the other parent about special events in the child's life such as school plays and sporting events so that they can attend
-Provide a schedule of travel dates and destinations so that the other parent can reach the child if needed
-Use an mature and 'business-like' mode of communication
-Do not plan vacations and trips to interfere with the child's regularly scheduled activities.
Following this simples steps with normalize the child's everyday life and make your separation or divorce easier to handle and less stressful without other things to worry about.
