Divorce is hard on both parents and kids in Texas. When children are forced to adapt to living in two separate households, their lives can be made easier by parents who are willing to communicate and keep some level of consistency and predictability between each household. There are several things parents can do to make this happen.
Communication is the most important factor, according to an online article. Ideally, parents should be able to sit down and discuss the ground rules for each house and how each parent will handle activities, discipline, bedtimes and the like. It is important to prevent direct contradictions between the two households. For example, avoid a situation where one parent allows children to play violent video games and the other strictly bans them from the house. If parents cannot sit down and come to an agreement informally, there are several options to make the process more formal and structured.
One possibility is mediation. The mediator is there to show unbiased support and help the parents reach an agreement or compromise on difficult issues. Unlike a judge, the mediator cannot force anything on a parent, so there is less anxiety, and the goal is purely to achieve an outcome beneficial to everyone.
Sometimes, a greater degree of structure or force is needed. If there are serious problems or discrepancies between households or the parents cannot reach any form of acceptable agreement, then the problem can be taken to court. Specific custody arrangements or rules can often be placed into a custody agreement or court order.
It is important for a parent to understand his or her rights when dealing with issues of custody and divorce agreements concerning children. When formal agreements need to be made, an attorney may be able to help a parent draft an agreement or counsel him or her both in mediation and in court.