Search Site
After your divorce is finalized, you and your ex will still need to communicate regularly to effectively co-parent. This includes discussing the methods of discipline you will use so your children have consistent rules and expectations across households.
Here’s a quick overview of some tips to help you keep a grasp on discipline after your divorce is finalized.
- Discuss and set clear boundaries: You and your ex should spend some time discussing the rules and boundaries you care about enforcing in your homes. These rules should be clear, and should be age-appropriate.
- Don’t only focus on negative: When we talk about discipline, it’s easy to focus on negative behaviors rather than positive ones. But positive behaviors need to be reinforced and recognized—that’s part of discipline, too. Rewarding children for good behavior is just as effective as, if not more effective than, punishing bad behavior. Children want to be praised and told when they do something good—they crave recognition. Give that to them when they’ve earned it!
- Figure out your preferred methods of communication: You and your spouse are going to need to stay in touch about issues related to raising your children. However, depending on the state of your relationship, some methods might work better than others. If phone calls frequently turn into shouting matches, stick to text, email or any coparenting app that works for you.
- Follow up: Inform each other about issues that arise and how you dealt with them so if that issue arises in your ex’s home, they can deal with it in the same way.
For more information about successfully disciplining children after a divorce, contact an experienced Minnesota divorce lawyer at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.
Our Attorneys
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Contact us
