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How co-parents can make the best of school sports season

On Behalf of | Feb 24, 2023 | Divorce Law

Navigating a coparenting relationship can be difficult, to say the least. You and your child’s other parent may have conflicting ideas about how to raise your child, which may make decisions about everything from schooling to discipline and even religious upbringing challenging and conflictual. But even if your co-parenting relationship seems unsalvageable, there are things that you can do to reduce tension and render your co-parenting relationship more collaborative in nature.

One way to do this is to use your child’s extracurricular activities to your advantage, including school sports. How do you do that? Let’s take a closer look.

The benefits of school sports

School sports can provide numerous benefits to your child. While it can help them with their physical and social development, it can also provide them with a sense of normalcy that they need after divorce. This routine can provide them with stability upon which they can thrive during what is otherwise a tumultuous chapter in their life.

School sports can also help establish the building blocks necessary for a strong co-parenting relationship. This might start with communicating about logistical matters, such as who is going to pick the child up from practices and how the child will be transported to games. Each parent may have scheduling conflicts, which forces you and your child’s other parent to find a schedule that works for both of you.

This is beneficial if you both see the value of school sports for your child, as you’ll both be motivated to find a way to make these logistical issues work out. In other words, you’ll be motivated to find an arrangement that works for you and is best for your child.

But the impact that school sports can have on your co-parenting relationship doesn’t stop there. For example, even if you and your child’s other parent can’t seem to agree on anything, sports give you and your child’s other parent the opportunity to be on the same side on something: cheering for your child. It also gives you practice navigating multiple calendars and scheduling conflicts. These are skills that you’ll need to ensure that you can successfully navigate these matters later.

What about conflict?

Of course, parents aren’t always going to agree on issues related to school sports. Some parents don’t even want their children to play sports. If this conflict comes up with your child, then you’ll need to find a way to resolve the dispute in a way that best supports your child. You may be able to discuss the social, emotional, and physical benefits of sports, while listening to the other parent’s concerns. Try not to minimize those concerns and instead try to explain why, to you, the benefits outweigh the risks.

Do you need additional help navigating your co-parenting relationship?

Even though your co-parenting relationship may seem like it’s never going to improve, don’t lose hope. There are ways that you can improve your relationship with your child’s other parent for the betterment of your child. Finding ways to improve co-parenting can better support your child’s best interests, thereby more fully protecting their mental and emotional health.

If, however, you end up facing co-parenting issues that can’t be corrected, then you may need to seek legal assistance. Law firms like ours are here to listen to you and help you figure out your best course of action. Hopefully by talking to an attorney about whatever issue you’re facing you’ll be able to resolve the matter in a way that is best for your child.

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