On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Unmarried Couples on Tuesday, September 10, 2013.
For parents in Missouri who were never married — or those who are divorced — back-to-school night with an ex can be hard. For some, going separately and having the entire event split between the two parents may even seem like the best way to go about getting through the event with minimal to no contact with an ex. However, attending back-to-school night separately may end up adding more stress to a child’s life.
One mother recently shared her experience. Her viewpoint is that while it may be tempting to divide back-to-school night between the two parents, the children would much prefer and benefit from mom and dad acting as co-parents and meeting the teachers and seeing the classrooms together.
In Ellen Kellner’s “Back-To-School Night With an Ex” article, she focuses on the fact that the event is supposed to be fun for the children and not burdensome as children try and separate their time.
This is why she suggests both parents go together and be there as a family to show excitement over the classroom and the child’s accomplishments.
For parents who are separated or divorced, this will take some planning. This means making sure an ex has plenty of notice about the upcoming event and being prepared to walk and talk together through the school.
If for some reason the other parent cannot be there, technology can really play a role with texts and videos throughout. This way the child knows both parents are there and showing support.
Of course though, this works in family situations where both parents have an active role in their children’s lives.
For parents who want to play a role in their child’s life, but feel an ex is trying to interfere with contact, this is where an attorney can step in. Specifically — for dads — this is where an attorney with experience handling fathers’ rights cases can be a great asset.
Source: Huffington Post, “Back-To-School Night With an Ex,” Ellen Kellner, Sept. 9, 2013
