For some New Jersey parents who have ended their marriage, a divorce does not put an end to their disagreements. One of the major issues that may arise in co-parenting is when one parent’s move to be closer to a new partner disrupts the visitation schedule. The other parent may resent having to drive the child farther and may also dislike the new partner. The new partner may resent the other parent’s attitude. The parent who moved might not have anticipated the additional time burden created by the commute to the new location.
One study has found that a decade after a divorce, up to 50 percent of people may still be very angry at their former spouse. In a case like this, one parent may be tempted to hold to their position and try to “win” a custody or visitation battle against the other one. However, this may represent a loss for the child who is caught between the two and may end up denied adequate time with one parent or the other.
Parents may want to consider visiting a mediator who can help them resolve these issues. The parent who moved may need to focus more on integrating the child into the new community. It might be necessary to create a new visitation schedule.
Co-parenting after divorce can be a struggle. Many of these disputes are not issues that require or can be resolved by returning to court. One way that parents might be able to address this is in their parenting plan. It can cover a variety of topics that might cause conflict later, such as how to handle introducing children to new partners, and for unanticipated conflicts, it can include a plan for resolution that might include mediation.
