After a divorce, a child’s world can feel upside down. Seeing both parents split up and having to juggle between two family homes can be an emotional and logistical challenge for parents, but the little ones often bear the brunt of the changes.

As difficult as the divorce and life changes can be, there are ways to make things easier on the kids. With time and proper support, most children are able to adapt and research has shown that they are no worse off than children whose parents never divorced.

That said, ensuring proper support takes laborious time and effort over the years. Today’s post is a quick offering on some tips to help make your child’s routine shuffle between the family homes a little bit easier.

Enforce a Consistent Schedule

One of the best things you can do is keeping the hand-off to a regular and consistent schedule. This helps the child build a routine and get a sense of normalcy. It’s okay to allow for some flex but be careful about switching things up too much. The more consistent the schedule, the better off your child will be.

Ensure the Child Has Access to Essentials in Both Homes

Another great way to keep your child happy and comfortable in either home is to make sure he/she has access to all the essentials in both homes. This includes changes of clothes, a comfortable sleeping arrangement, a set of some of their favorite toys, bookies, etc., all vital toiletries they might need, and more depending on the child’s preferences and age. Work with the other parent to make sure everything is covered under both roofs.

Let the Child Have Some Say Over His or Her Space

Giving the child control over his or her living space is a great way to let them carve out their own home bases at both places. Let them play with the layout of the furniture, as well as spruce up the place with decorations, a fresh coat of paint, and anything else they may want to include to truly make it their space.

Maintain a Positive Attitude Towards the Other Parent and Relatives

Finally, be very careful about how you treat the other parent as well as any close relatives your child comes into regular contact with at the other home. Negative attitudes towards the other half of their family structure can be confusing, cause anxiety and stress, and can make it seem like the child needs to “choose” between a side. 

Regardless of how you feel about the other parent, be sure to maintain a positive attitude about both living arrangements as well as all supporting adults in his/her life. 

These are just a few basic things to keep things as comfortable and happy as possible for your child in your co-parenting plan. If you have any questions for our team of expert family law attorneys in CA, call us at 925-271-0999 today to schedule a initial consultation.