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How to avoid conflict with a hostile parent

On Behalf of | Sep 8, 2017 | Child Custody

When Arizona parents of young children get a divorce, they are never truly separated. In most cases they will necessarily need to interact with each other for co-parenting purposes. When one parent is behaving badly towards the other, it presents a situation that tests the diplomacy skills of even the mildest mannered personality. During those times, parents must keep reminding themselves that the best interest of the child applies.

Divorce professionals have given some guidelines to remember in dealing with a hostile co-parent. Professionals will remind the calm parent to avoid setting off the other. This includes remembering what issues are particularly sensitive to the other parent and avoid raising them. Most importantly, they should not be raised in the presence of the children.

In addition, the parent should focus on the needs of the child and avoid those issues that led to the end of the relationship as much as possible. If the toxic parent raises any such issues, the conversation should be steered back to the present needs of the child. Further, the other parent should never be degraded when talking to the children. The less hostility there is between the parents, the more comfortable the children will feel.

There are legal reasons for behaving in a calm, non-adversarial manner. A nasty email can be an exhibit, a hostile voice mail can be played for the court and even bad statements can be repeated by a witness in a custody hearing. Most experienced divorce attorneys know that successful custody hearings often hinge on the client being presented in the best light before the court.

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