Dealing with the other parent

• Try to work together as parents
• Try to be respectful in all dealings with the other parent. Every action will have a reaction.
• If all else fails…adopt a “business-like” approach

Helpful strategies:

• Although hard, try and break patterns of negative communication
• Practise beforehand how you may respond to certain situations. You are more likely to act calmly if you are not taken by surprise
• Before each meeting with the parent, remind yourself that the important thing is to prevent harm to your child (by not witnessing conflict), not to win an argument. It may be helpful to take a photograph of your child and keep this in the car or on your phone as a reminder
• Remember you cannot control the other parent, only your reaction
• When meeting the other parent, if you begin to argue or get into an uncomfortable situation…STOP IT

STOP!              say this loudly in your head

THINK             about your breathing

ORGANISE      your thoughts – “is this really helping your child?”

POLITELY         make your excuses – “let’s not talk about this now, we can sort issues out later” – and WALK AWAY

IMAGINE         a positive memory

Tell                 yourself you are in control