East Bay Family Law Blog

The biggest challenge of co-parenting is the fact that there's no playbook you can follow. It's up to you, your ex and your children to figure things out along the way, and that can often result in mistakes, mix-ups and hurt feelings.

You won't be perfect when it comes to co-parenting, but here are some tips you can follow to get on the right track:

• Don't make everything about you: Your personal feelings, wants and needs are important, but a focus on your children is what matters most. When you make everything about you, you're more likely to upset your ex and focus on things that don't really matter.
• Be flexible with schedules: Yes, you created a parenting agreement and visitation schedule. And yes, you want to follow the terms and conditions as closely and as often as possible. Just make sure you also remember the importance of flexibility. There will be times when you or your ex needs to adjust a schedule.
• Communicate efficiently: If you don't have a clear method of communication in place, your ability to successfully co-parent will suffer. Try everything from phone calls to text messages to email communication, and don't stop until you settle on something that works for the two of you.
• Choose your battles wisely: When co-parenting, you can find something to argue about every day of the week. But if you do this, it will put additional strain on you, your ex and your children. There are times when it's worth confronting your ex and times when you're better off letting things go.
• Give yourself time off: For example, when your children are spending the weekend with your ex, take time to recharge. Taking care of your mind and body allows you to be a better parent in the future.

As a professional adult, you have likely experienced first-hand the difficulty that can arise from trying to balance your personal life with your professional one. Job demands can be unforgiving when you work as a lawyer, engineer or physician, to name a few professions.

Trying to carve out enough time for your spouse and kids when your family lives together can seem difficult. After a divorce, shared custody considerations can make life even more complicated for you and your family. Some professional parents worry that their career demands will prevent the courts from giving them a comfortable amount of parenting time when compared with their ex.

A divorce is an often complicated process for the parties involved. When you are in this position, you have to ensure that you are making the best decisions possible. Even though there are bound to be challenges, there isn't a reason for it to become a battle.

Trying to keep the divorce as calm as possible is beneficial for everyone involved. You will still feel some of the intense emotions, but you might not feel as stressed during the process. There are several things you can do if you want to encourage a relaxed divorce.

A divorce is a stressful time in a person's life, but it isn't one that comes with much time to rest. You have to continue on with normal life, figure out how to meet life's needs and work through the process of legally ending the marriage. Add in the emotional challenges and you have even more difficulties.

During this time, it is imperative that you practice self-care so that you aren't in a bad spot as you embark on your single life. If you have children, they will see you taking care of yourself and know that this is important for everyone no matter what situation they have going on at the time.