For your child's sake, don't let your ex get under your skin

 Posted on December 20, 2016 in Child Custody

Adjusting to the role of being a single parent after a divorce can be a challenge. Whereas you once had unfettered access to your child, your parenting agreement will dictate when you will be able to be together. This can cause feelings of loneliness, frustration, and even anger if your ex is acting in a manner you feel undermines your ability to spend time with your child.

Admittedly, this can be a bitter pill to swallow. But in the long run, you will likely be best served by doing what you can to accept the situation. The fact is, allowing yourself to be aggravated by that which you have no control over is very stressful. You should also remember that your ex's behavior does not override your value system and the values you want to instill in your child. You have the ability to have a very positive effect on your child's life just by teaching him or her the important things that you believe in.

But even as you are working to make life better for both yourself and your child, things can become contentious and complicated if your ex is not willing to cooperate. Pre-divorce, this lack of cooperation may manifest itself in your spouse making unfair or unreasonable demands regarding the terms of custody. If this should happen, you need to do your best to remain calm and stand up for your rights as a parent.

It is in your child's best interests to have a strong relationship with both you and your ex. This means that if necessary, you may have to fight to get appropriate custody or visitation rights. So, if you want to increase your odds of getting the custody terms you want, you may want to let an experienced family law attorney handle the negotiations. An attorney can apply a working knowledge of the family court system to help ensure that your needs and the needs of your child are given proper emphasis when it comes time for a judge to approve your final custody terms.