After a divorce, many Ohio parents worry about how to be successful at parenting. While the divorce process can have a deep impact on the children, and while some of these effects can be negative, parents can still do a variety of things to continue with successful parenting after the divorce.
Make decisions based on the children’s best interests
After divorce, successful parenting means you make decisions based on the best interests of the children. This includes decisions about where to move or how holidays will be spent. It includes when and how to introduce new love interests to the children. It means allowing your children a voice in the decisions that will impact their lives.
Continue providing stability to the children
While divorce changes family dynamics, it does not have to change everything about the family. Stability is important to help children to remain healthy and continue to thrive. Some of the things you can do to maintain this stability include:
• Continuing as many routines familiar to the children as possible
• Repeating loved traditions that the whole family can get involved in
• Embracing new family activities, such as special dinners, to help the children transition into the new dynamics
• Offering emotional support to your children
• Creating special moments when you are alone with your children
Take care of yourself
Divorce can also impact you deeply. To offer the support your children will need after the end of the marriage, you should also take care of yourself. This includes gathering a group of family members, friends and therapists that can become your support network for when you need to grieve, vent or simply work out your feelings.
Divorce is an opportunity to keep learning and growing. At the same time, as you experience this, you can also continue teaching your children how to face challenges, accept errors and continue to grow.