In a society that values instant gratification, it can be difficult to have patience. While there are some situations that are urgent and require immediate attention, there are others that can be put aside. Determining what’s urgent when you’re co-parenting can be a challenge, but being able to practice patience can help to make the situation easier for everyone involved.
There are several things to think about when you’re trying to determine how to handle specific matters. One of these is what lesson you’re teaching your child. You being able to keep your cool when things get challenging can help to show your children that patience is valuable, especially when you’re under stress.
How can you keep your cool?
When things get tense between you and your co-parent, you can take a step back to think about what’s truly important. You may realize that the issue at the heart of the situation really doesn’t require you to be tense or demand an immediate answer.
There are times when you may not be able to be patient. These include things that can negatively impact the child’s health or safety. In those cases, try to have a logical response, but stand firm to protect the children.
Having a parenting plan that has all the important decisions already spelled out can take the urgency out of a lot of the stressful points in co-parenting. Knowing that you don’t have to be concerned about things that directly impact the child’s health or safety can benefit you greatly. Just remember that you need the terms of the co-parenting agreement to meet the child’s needs now. You can petition for a modification of the terms in the future if the child’s needs change.
