Like other parents around the country, Kentucky parents do what they can to make sure their children have the opportunity to grow up happy, healthy and well-adjusted. When they divorce, this desire tends to increase, but how to make that happen under the circumstances may not be as easy as hoped. While they may not have all the answers, they could at least identify parenting behaviors they want to avoid.
The following behaviors could prove toxic to children, and divorcing parents could agree not to engage in them in their parenting plan:
- Avoid disagreeing about discipline in front of the children.
- Avoid trying to be the “favorite parent.”
- Avoid making the child complicit in activities that would upset the other parent.
- Avoid competing with each other to be the better parent.
- Avoid trying to overcompensate for any perceived failings of the other parent.
These are just some of the potentially toxic behaviors parents engage in. It can be challenging to let go of the inclination to engage in the above behaviors, especially in light of a divorce. However, doing so will help the children through the transitions they will face in the upcoming months. The more their parents agree to limit the potential for conflict, the less stressful the situation may be.
Every family is unique, so some parents will need to address other items as well. Putting together a parenting plan that gives the whole family the best opportunity to thrive after the divorce will most likely include addressing toxic parenting behaviors. The more a Kentucky couple is aware of what would trigger unnecessary conflicts, the better they can plan out their co-parenting relationship.