One of the biggest hurdles after a divorce is to remain amicable with your ex-spouse. When there are children involved, it is not only more of a necessity to try to remain on good terms, but it is also more complicated.
According to the Huffington Post, if you choose to co-parent, you still have to find a way to split the expenses evenly.
Bridging the gap
The best way to create a fair and amicable plan is to communicate with your former spouse. While it is difficult, you need to put your differences aside for the sake of your children. Remember to listen. If you want your spouse to listen to you in return, take all his or her concerns seriously. Do not procrastinate on bringing up expenses. If your child has an event coming up, talk about it in advance. Your spouse may be uncomfortable and difficult to reason with if you bring up an expense with no time for him or her to think about it. If you can come up with a system of how you handle shared expenses, both of you may find it easier to adhere to it.
Choosing your kids
Your kids will always come first. You and your spouse should be on equal ground when it comes to wanting to fulfill the needs of your children. If you pick up an extra expense, you may not want to demand it from your former spouse. Instead, consider alternating unexpected expenses. For instance, if you pay for something extra, your spouse can pay it next time. Some couples tally up their expenses at the end of the year and compare.