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The Dos and Don’ts of Child Custody in New Jersey

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A divorce can have serious effects on a child’s life. That is why you will want to ensure that you and your former spouse are aware of the dos and don’ts of co-parenting. Reach out to our firm today to speak with a skilled Somerset County family law attorney.

What are the don’ts?

Keep in mind that there are several actions you will want to avoid when co-parenting with your former spouse. They include the following:

  • Damaging your child’s relationship with your former spouse.
  • Allowing your child to speak poorly about the other parent.
  • Using your child as a tool to get back at or hurt your former spouse.
  • Using your child to obtain information or to use and/or control your former spouse.
  • Transfering hurt feelings and/or frustrations toward your former spouse onto your child.
  • Pushing your child to pick a side when there is a conflict with scheduling.
  • Turning the strain on your child.
  • Relying too much on your child for friendship or support because you are going through a divorce.
  • Become so emotionally reliant that your child starts to feel guilty if they put time into relationships with others. You would not want to find out they turned down social outings because they were scared you would be incapable of having alone time.

What are the dos?

On the other hand, there are many “dos” or helpful ways that you can promote a healthy co-parenting relationship. You can do this by setting boundaries, like:

  • Make an affirmative plan that puts aside discrepancies you may have. The focus should be on satisfying the needs of the children you are co-parenting.
  • Arrange how you will manage visitation, holidays, and events.
  • Develop behavioral approaches for raising your children that you will each follow. It is essential to understand that you will want your children to have consistency in their lives, no matter which parent they are with. This includes bedtimes, phone privileges, etc.
  • Keep in mind that a child will normally test a situation and abuse boundaries. Be ready and stay strong.
  • Set the positions of extended family members.
  • Construct lines of open communication about all elements of your child’s development. This concerns being able to compare notes on a situation before selecting a punishment.
  • Even though it can be emotionally difficult, you and your co-parent need to choose to keep each other informed about changes in your life circumstances. Your child should never be your immediate source of information.
  • Commit yourself to have emotional integrity.

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If you require experienced legal representation for a matter of Family Law, Supplemental Security Income, Medical Malpractice, Social Security Disability, or Legal Malpractice, Siragusa Law Firm is here to help. Contact our firm today to schedule a consultation so we can discuss your case.

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