Divorce is tough, but it is even tougher when one gets to co-parent with someone who is not dedicated or serious about the task. It is both parents' responsibilities to look after the welfare of their child and it is a must that they handle matters like healthcare, education and other decisions that focus on their kid.
With that, here are some tips on how a primary parent could work out parenting even when the co-parent is someone whom he or she can't count on when it comes to the matter.
In an article released by The Huffington Post, they called the unreliable parent a gopher one. He or she is someone who would just be a parent whenever it is convenient for them. As the primary parent in the situation, the first thing to do is to be open about other parenting choices. Both the primary and "gopher" parent should sit down and talk about what they both think would work best for your child. Respect should also be laid down on the table. Once this has been in the open, the rest would be easier to tackle.
Child and Divorce Guide also suggested to always keep an unreliable co-parent informed of everything related to the child, it doesn't matter if they are not interested. In fact, this kind of co-parent would even look like that he or she is interested. As the primary and responsible parent, use that to deal with the issue that needs to be addressed and make it a point not to harp on past relationship problems. Keep in mind that this is all for and about the child and not your past or current relationship.
More so, it is also wise to seek the help of a professional -- like a family counselor for post-divorce for more options and guidance when it comes to handling the situation with co-parenting.
