A child moving between two homes can be a challenge, particularly in the beginning. But your experience may even be worse if you are dealing with an uncooperative co-parent.
Below are two things to keep in mind if you are in such a situation:
Determine how uncooperative your co-parent is
You need to determine if your co-parent is being uncooperative or if you are disagreeing on a matter. Additionally, assess their level of being uncooperative to identify the most suitable solutions. For example, if your co-parent does not communicate with you effectively, consider talking to them and developing practical solutions.
They may be going through a few issues that hinder them from being cooperative, perhaps they are not yet ready to communicate with you in person or through calls, in which case, you can opt to communicate via email, texts or apps.
However, if your co-parent is not following your court-ordered custody agreement, for example, they refuse to let the kids visit you on agreed days, you may need to consider other options, such as modifying your child custody order, especially if you have already talked to them, but they continue being uncooperative.
Keep paying child support
If you pay child support, it may be unwise to withhold payment when your co-parent becomes uncooperative. If you do this, the court may view your decision as a punishment to your child due to a disagreement between you and the other parent. Accordingly, you may be disadvantaged when you file to modify your child custody order. The state clearly separates issues of being denied custody rights and child support.
If you believe your co-parent is uncooperative, obtain adequate information to know the next steps to take to protect your kids and parental rights.