How to Achieve Effective Co-Parent Communication
Elizabeth Selmo – Partner Family Law
Washington, DC Divorce Lawyer, Elizabeth Selmo discusses effective co-parenting tips.
The most important piece of a co-parenting relationship is effective communication. My three tips for effective communication would be first to think of the other parent as a co-worker. You want all of your communication with them to be professional in tone, not sarcastic, and really focusing on the important matter at hand. The second tip is to focus on the present. Avoid blaming your partner for something they have done in the past. This type of communication is rarely helpful to resolving a time sensitive issue in particular. Lastly, you want to follow the golden rule with co-parent communication in that anything you would expect the other parent to tell you, you should tell them. Another important thing for parents to keep in mind is that conflict between them actually hurts their children and that has been shown over and over again. When you are reaching out and being polite to the other parent, you are doing your child a benefit and that is really important to keep in mind and will hopefully give you the strength to do that as you move through some really difficult times.
My top goal with working with clients, especially those going through divorce and those with children, is to bring down their stress level. I try to do that by minimizing conflict and helping them resolve their legal issues in a straight forward manner as possible. I want my clients to be able to focus on the things that are really important to them like enjoying their children and succeeding in their careers. I want them to focus on what’s exciting about the future.
