Many separated parents have different opinions on discipline, boundaries and children's routines. However, in order to provide your children with stability and consistency it is useful to try to agree on some basic guidelines. It can also be beneficial to agree to disagree on certain issues.
- Where possible establish consistent routines such as homework, bed and meal times between the two homes. These simple things will provide your children with a sense of stability and normality.
- Discuss what you both consider suitable and unsuitable when it comes to discipline. Try to find a middle ground that you're both happy with.
- If a child has been disciplined in one household attempt to understand the other parent's decision and follow through with it if possible in your home e.g. no mobie phone for a week.
- Try to respect the other parents parenting style and the decisions they make when the children are in their home. Recognise that you will have differences in doing things and that it's ok, maybe even good for your chidren to learn different ways to do things.
- Where the rules are different from one home to the other, acknowledge those differences and make sure the rules in each household are clear to your children.
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