Here in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and in many areas of the nation, there is a chance that after parents have decided to divorce, but before the parents sign child custody and financial agreements, they will share the custody of their children while still . That is, living under the same roof. That can prove to be a challenge because divorce separates a married couple, and both of them may feel awkward about sharing the house that they lived in together whileen they were married. Shared parenting time can be difficult, especially while after going through an emotional process such as divorce. However, both parents should remember that their children are with them and they should not have to bear the woes of seeing their divorced parents bickering with each other.
The ex-spouses need to sit down and talk things over to determine how they will go about living under the same roof. This means that each ex-spouse will need to communicate what the other is expected to do. The former spouses also need to ensure that they are consistent when communicating the status of their relationship to their children, because inconsistencies can confuse their children. The divorced parents also must also decide if they will co-parent the same way they parented when they were married. If the relationship turns nasty after the divorce, the couple may wish to consider dividing time with the kids.
If the tension is high, the ex-spouses should consider an arrangement that includes the idea that whichever parent is not with the children should go somewhere else during that time. The divorced parents need to communicate who leaves the house and when that parent is leaving the house so that there is no confusion. In order for both parents to avoid having conflict, they also may also seek the help of a mental health consultant who is an expert in divorce and mediation. Finally, the longer the couple is apart, the more difficult the emotional separation can be if they are still living under the same roof. In order to prevent this from happening, especially for the children, the parents may want to consider making the cohabitation as short as possible.
Working with a legal professional can prove very valuable in Reaching a settling divorce settlement agreements that resolves like the assignment of child custody issues is generally best for all parties involved. To ensure that the agreement will be acceptable to both parties, parents can mediate negotiate issues that are important to them and ask for the legal professional’s guidance in deciding on which custody arrangement will best benefit the child or children.
Source: Huffington Post, “Separated Under the Same Roof: Tips for Surviving The Limbo Phase,” Kate Scharff, June 3, 2013