How to successfully co-parent in Missouri

When it comes to divorced parenting, nowadays more and more Missouri fathers are participating in co-parenting with their ex-wives. And while this is certainly greats news for children and dads alike, fathers and mothers both need to be cognizant of the "co" part of "co-parenting."

Co-parenting literally means together and mutual parenting. Of course, for many this can be hard as divorced spouses don't always see eye to eye on what is best. However, to make the divorce transition easier on the children, it's important to follow the five C's:

Coordinate: A common complaint among divorced parents is the fact that children often leave things like clothes, toys and school supplies at their other parents' home. In order to combat this it is important to have an agreement between both parents on what needs to always come back and forth between homes and what can stay. This is not something that should be left up to small children to manage.

Cooperate: Make sure to be on time and consistent with pick up times. A late parent can lead to an upset and frustrated other parent, which can in turn lead to an upset and frustrated child.

Convey: Share all important information regarding the child with each other. This means any medical issues, school problems or accomplishments need to be shared with each other.

Consult: In order to stop an argument from happening, make sure to communicate with an ex if there is going to be any change in scheduling or visitation plans. Additionally, talk about any plans or vacations months ahead of time. If both parents cannot reach an agreement, look at the divorce agreement.

Comply: As previously mentioned; the divorce agreement should always be followed. This will help reduce the overall amount of tension between two parents. Of course, if there are issues with the agreement now or modifications need to be made, this is something that should be discussed with a family law attorney at once.

Source: Huffington Post, "The 5 C's of Divorced Co-Parenting," Marie Hartwell-Walker, July 6, 2012