Your familiar relationships after a divorce can start to feel a little unusual as time goes on. If you share children with your ex-spouse and they eventually remarry, then you will suddenly be sharing child custody with their new spouse as well. At the same time, your child will have to readjust to gaining a new stepparent, which can be confusing or exciting to them. When everything is considered, it is easy to feel overwhelmed or confused by where you stand in your family now. By knowing how to get along or deal with your child’s new stepparent, you can start to find solidity again.
When you need to interact with your child’s stepparent, keep these tips in mind:
- Be yourself: Whenever you deal with your child’s new stepparent, just be yourself and act naturally. Trying to put up a front will feel inauthentic, and it might even confuse or upset your child.
- Think cooperatively: Your child’s stepparent will probably also want what is best for your child, but you will not know it if the two of you feel like you are at odds. Do your best to approach each opportunity to interact as one to grow closer together. Among yourself, your ex-spouse, and their current spouse, you can all provide a loving environment for your children.
- Let your child make decisions: Sometimes your child will have the chance to decide to do something with you or their new stepparent. In such a situation, let them make that choice on their own. Coercing your child will eventually breed distrust among all parties.
- Stay patient: Everything about your new familial situation will take time. Do not try to rush things. Given enough time and chances to interact, you and your child’s stepparent will get more and more used to each other. You might even find a new friend in them.
- Follow child custody agreements: The worst thing you can do when you are not getting along well with your child’s stepparent or ex-spouse is trying to go outside your child custody agreement to spend more time with your child. Knowingly violating your custody agreement can be a fast way to lose parenting rights altogether if the matter is taken to court.
- Avoid belittling your ex-spouse or the new stepparent: This happens often and tends to slant their judgment. Your child's learning to accept the reality of shared custody so favoring them to be bias about the new stepparent can cause confusion.
Do you need help with a child custody agreement, or another form of family law concern? Owenby Law, P.A. in Jacksonville, Florida can provide you with the experienced and compassionate legal counsel you need to make sense of everything and move forward. Call 904.770.3141 today to schedule your free initial consultation with our firm.