Living together under the same roof while separating can be a daunting task, especially with all the high emotions from both parents. Having the children caught in the middle of this high conflict can be overwhelming and draining. As parents, we understand your frustration, and as a broken couple, we empathize with the pain of the struggle. Let us help you collaborate and come up with a series of plans to ease this difficult transition process.

The best perspective to have is to treat your co-parent as you would treat a business partner. These are the basics of any decent relationship but are frequently overlooked or disregarded during separation. When you separate, you need to start a new relationship paradigm, that of business partners.

This means to always keep the following things in check:

- Be courteous.
- Answer emails, text messages, and phone calls.
- Don’t badmouth your co-parent, especially not on social media or to your children.
- Do what you say you’re going to do.
- Communicate important information.
- Provide requested documentation in a timely manner.
- Do not treat the other person as the enemy.
- Model desirable conduct.
- Demonstrate that you can be trusted and that you do not want to participate in a race to the bottom in terms of your behavior.
- Take parenting classes.
- Consult with a family mediator.
- Allow your child’s voice to be heard and conduct a voice of the child report.
- Create a parenting schedule with boundaries.

In conclusion, living together under the same roof while separating can be challenging, but it is possible to navigate with a collaborative approach. By treating your co-parent as a business partner, taking parenting classes, consulting with a family mediator, and allowing your child's voice to be heard through a voice of the child report, you can create a successful co-parenting relationship that benefits your children. Remember, it's important to communicate respectfully and create a clear parenting schedule with boundaries. With dedication and effort, you can make this difficult transition process smoother and more manageable for everyone involved.

Where can you reach out for a Voice of the Child Report?

Please feel free to reach out to Canada Family Mediation to help you with this procedure. We offer practical mediation services to efficiently resolve all your family law issues.

Authored By:

Rose Morsh
RECE, Parenting Practitioner,
Family Mediator & Child Voice Practitioner