When you divorced, your relationship with your spouse ended, but your role as a parent endures. You know how important it is to take every possible step to preserve this relationship, including fostering strong parental connections with your children, regardless of how often you are with them. When you lay the foundation for strong relationships, you will find that you are able to remain close with your children despite distance, less parenting time and other challenges.
Divorced Nebraska dads may face certain challenges during and after their divorces. To be successful as a divorced, single parent, it will require an intentional effort. When you build strong relationships with your kids, you will be protecting their emotional health, shielding their mental well-being and fostering good connections that will last.
Tips for your success
In order to have success as a divorced dad, you may find it necessary to set aside your own temporary feelings and focus on what will be best for your children long-term. As you consider what your kids may need, the following tips and suggestions may be helpful:
- Understand that this time is also difficult for your kids, and make the effort to help them cope with changes and transitions they are experiencing.
- Recognize that your children may exhibit behavioral changes as they are navigating strong emotions, such as anger, sadness, confusion and more.
- Don’t miss opportunities to be present with your children as much as possible, and choose to live as close as possible for their benefit.
- Find ways to connect when you are apart, such as through video calls, sending care packages, talking on the phone and more.
- Don’t avoid your obligation to pay child support, and work diligently to co-parent with your former spouse as peacefully and smoothly as possible.
- When it is your time to be with your kids, be intentional about how you use that time.
- Maintain the terms of your parenting plan, remembering that your feelings may not always reflect what is truly best for your kids.
Divorce is difficult for every member of the family, but you can take steps that will allow you to preserve the critical relationship between a dad and his children. One of the first steps to success as a divorced dad is to ensure that the terms of your divorce order are fair, reasonable and sustainable long-term.