Communicating With Your Partner About the Kids
- Respect each other. You're both adults and you have the right to your own ideas and opinions. Try to remember one another's value as people. Try not use accusatory or demeaning language toward one another.
- Keep it private. Most experts agree that arguing in front of the kids, especially about the kids, is a bad idea. Children may either feel guilty for causing a disagreement, or may use your divided state to their benefit. Either way, nobody wins.
- Stay calm. When you're about to discuss something that you probably will disagree about, it's easy to go in ready for a fight. Try instead to remain calm and ready to negotiate.
- Stay on track. If you're discussing an important issue, stay on it. Don't go off about other problems or things that happened between you in the past. That will just breed negative feelings and won't resolve anything.