When you’re married, you have a wife to consult with, and the parenting terms are a two-person decision in most cases. But single dads will need the help of a mediate family law professional to be able to properly discipline and take care of their children.
Whether you’re divorced for years or you recently got divorced, you need to learn how to parent on your own terms. If you have set your mind and decided to end your marriage, you should have the best family lawyers Melbourne by your side.
This is a different process, but the following tips will help you overcome these trying times.
1. Don’t Let Guilt Control Your Decisions
Guilt can have a direct influence on the decisions that you make. If you feel too much guilt, you may not discipline your child, or you may be too lenient in your decisions. A dad needs to put his guilt aside and make decisions that are in the best interest of his children.
2. Kids Will Act Out
Divorce is a confusing time for kids, and you need to know that they can and will act out. The most common reasons for kids acting out after a divorce are:
- They want you and their mother to get back together
- They’re pushing the boundaries
- They believe their actions were the reason for divorce
- They’re scared or angry
Change is unwanted, and when kids act out, you need to try and understand their behavior and act accordingly. If you show that you’re falling apart (divorce can be an emotional rollercoaster), this raises the anxiety level of your child even further. You need to be the strong dad, and this means trying to understand your child’s actions first and foremost.
3. You and Your Ex May Parent Differently
Be prepared for quarrels with your ex due to differing parenting styles. You have a say in your child’s life and the decisions you make as a father. You can’t tell your ex how to parent, and she can’t tell you how to parent either.
Divorce lawyer Brad Micklin says, “It’s best when both parents can find common ground when parenting.”
The only exception to the rule is when parents abuse drugs or cause harm to their children. In this case, the courts may take a closer look into how a parent parents their children.
4. Keep Calm, and Keep the Kids Out of It
The children’s mother may not like your approach to parenting, and this is fine. If possible, ignore the comments from the mother and keep your kids out of it. The worst parenting decision is to involve the kids in the middle of a quarrel with your ex-wife.
Kids don’t want to take sides – and they shouldn’t be forced to.
5. Take Time Before Making Big Decisions
According to a legal experienced lawyer similar to Robert K Bratt, your responsible for your children, and the decisions you make will have an impact on your children’s lives. If you make rash decisions, this can backfire and cause you to make the wrong parenting decision.
Instead, take time to think about big decisions.
Most of the time, you’ll find that your initial decision may have been too harsh or not in the best interest of your children.