How can you deal with a hostile co-parent?

Discussing sensitive topics like where your child may go to school next year or what medical treatment he or she needs with your co-parent can often feel stressful if your co-parent is hostile.

Learning about how to speak respectfully and efficiently with an ex-spouse who is frequently angry can help you and your children.

Shift your focus

According to Psychology Today, you can influence the direction of the conversation by refusing to bring up old arguments or past problems. While it may seem tempting to try addressing an issue from years ago, learning to look to the future can help reduce fights with your co-parent.

Limit the focus of your discussions to only be about parenting issues or topics directly related to parenting. This can help prevent arguments before they start.

Find stress relief

You may dread tense conversations, which then leads to you avoiding them altogether. Finding a way to relieve the stress you feel, such as walking outside or talking with friends, can help you enter into discussions with your co-parent with a clear mind.

Having a way to step away from the stress of co-parenting can also help you avoid getting into arguments over small problems.

Expect rudeness

While you may hope your co-parent will learn how to communicate politely, preparing yourself for harsh words before discussing a topic can help you. Think beforehand about what subjects you want to discuss and objectives you want to accomplish so that you can focus on only those.

Your co-parent may be expecting you to get easily distracted and lured into an argument, but you can resist that. Dealing effectively with a hostile co-parent can allow you to stay calm and protect your children.