Did you know that almost 50% of American children will see their parents divorce? It’s a very sad reality, and this might be happening to your own family soon.
Raising a child is already challenging enough. Through a divorce into the mix, and things can get even more complicated.
If you need some advice on raising a kid in two houses, then read on. We’ll give you some great tips for divorced parents.
Have Two Sets of Basic Items in Each Home
When you’re living in two households, it can become tedious remembering to bring all your things with you each time you go to a different house. Not to mention, if you forget something, it can put a huge damper on your day.
Make sure you and your ex have sets of basic items in each home so your children don’t have the burden of lugging their belongings around. Some things to include are:
- Toothbrush and other toiletries
- Underwear, socks, and clothes (including pajamas)
- Toys
Make a Packing Checklist
For everything else that needs to go back and forth, make a packing checklist. This can ease anxiety for everyone involved and with enough time, it’ll become so routine that packing won’t be stressful at all.
Have a checklist on the wall in each home. A day before your kids go to your ex’s, take a look at the list and help them pack.
Set Ground Rules
You and your ex may already agree on some parenting methods. However, once you’ve split up, each household might diverge slightly on parenting, especially if there are stepparents involved.
Have everyone sit down and agree on some ground rules. And if there are different schedules in each house, that’s fine! Just make sure that everything’s clearly understood and that no parent will break the rules of the other.
Once you’ve agreed on the ground rules, you need to stand together as a united front. Acknowledge that while things might be done a certain way in your house, they’ll be different in their other parent’s house. Your kids will adapt quickly if things are kept consistent.
If you aren’t able to get along with your ex, then it might be a good idea to hire a custody lawyer. Click here to find out more.
Do Drop-Offs Smartly
It might be a good idea for the parent with the kids to drop them off when their time’s up. If you have the other parent go pick them up, then there’s a chance they might interrupt some valuable bonding time.
When you leave drop-offs in the hands of the parent who’s currently with the children, this enables them to wrap up those special moments without it being jarring.
Cooperate When Raising a Child With Your Ex
In this article, we’ve given you some great tips for raising a child in two households.
But in the end, what really matters is that you cooperate and communicate with your ex. When your kids see that you’re still working together as a team, this can give them a healthy environment to grow up in. Plus, it’ll make custody much easier, so it’s a win-win situation!
For more parenting tips, make sure you check out the rest of our family blog page.
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