Helpful Tips for Working Divorced Single Parents

After divorce, many people struggle with the transition to single parenthood. Even if your ex-spouse wasn’t the most reliable or most helpful partner, they were at least another set of hands when you needed help with the kids. While single parenthood can be overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling a full-time job, you can make it easier on yourself with these tips.

Having the right legal team by your side as you navigate divorce, child custody, and child support can make a big difference in this stage of life. Learn more about how we can help by calling Coumanis & York at 251-336-3121.

Manage Your To-Do List

At some point in the future, you may reach the same level of productivity you had when you were married. For now, though, give yourself grace. If your expectations for yourself are too high, you’ll burn out. When you are offered a new task or responsibility, don’t jump to a “yes!” until you have time to think about it. Trim down your to-do list and don’t be afraid to let some things fall to the bottom of your priority list for now.

Lean on a Support Network

There’s a lot of pressure to have it all together after divorce. You want to prove that you made the right choice and that you’re not even feeling the effects of this huge life change. Put aside your pride and get help where you can. Your friends and family members likely know just how hard your divorce has been on you, and they would love to help—but many don’t know how. Instead, they wait for a specific request.

What would make your life easier? Would you like to have dinner with a friend once a week to vent and meet your social needs? Do you need help picking the kids up from school when work runs late? Are you struggling to find fun activities for your kids because of your own emotional struggles? Think about what you need and ask for it.

Stick to Your Custody Agreement

A comprehensive custody agreement makes life much easier. Expect your co-parent to uphold their side of the agreement and plan on doing the same. If you are the default parent, it’s easy to fall into a rut of taking the kids “just this once” so your co-parent can work late, go on a date, or hit the gym.

Try to avoid becoming that support person for them. Your kids need time with both parents and you need time to yourself as you adjust. Furthermore, child support is affected by parenting time, and taking on lots of additional time could put significant financial stress on you.

Consider a Coparenting App or Calendar

If communication with your ex-spouse is a major source of stress for you, take steps to limit it. A co-parenting app is an easy option for many parents. It offers a way to share pictures from kids’ events, keep track of upcoming exchanges, and send reminders of school events. Many also have in-app messaging that automatically screens for abusive or angry language, which can stop fights before they begin. As an added bonus, these apps and the information contained in them can often be used in court for evidence.

Limit Your Legal Issues and Tasks

In case the emotional side of divorce wasn’t hard enough, it’s also a huge legal challenge for most people. You’ll find it even harder to manage your to-do list, parenting obligations, and work tasks if you’re also trying to navigate the legal system on your own.

Don’t fall into this trap. Instead, hire a divorce lawyer you can trust to represent you, put your needs first, and guide you to a fair resolution for each issue you face. Another benefit: when your attorney takes on your case, you can further limit your contact with the other parent and keep your stress levels down.

Explore Your Legal Options with Coumanis & York

No matter where you are in the divorce process, the team at Coumanis & York is here to help you. Find out more about how we can meet your needs during this time. Just give us a call at 251-336-3121 or get in touch online.