It can often be difficult for co-parents to make childcare decisions after they have gotten divorced. You may not be able to watch your children for the entire time that you have custody, however, so you need some options. People often consider hiring a nanny, using daycare or just hiring a babysitter who lives in the area.
The problem is that you and your ex may not agree on who the babysitter should be. Your children’s safety always comes first. It’s very important that the two of you find someone that you agree on and that you both trust. Here are some tips that can help you do so:
Focus on communication
One thing that often stands in the way of making these decisions is that co-parents struggle to communicate. The more you and your ex can do to talk openly about this, even when conversations are difficult, the sooner you’ll get to a solution.
Write the agreement down
It can also help to write down all of your ideas, your ex’s ideas and anything that you’ve agreed upon. Not only do you want this evidence in the future if your ex claims you did something of which they didn’t approve, but writing it down can simply help you work through all the details together.
Talk to the children
If your children are old enough to have an opinion on who the babysitter is, simply talk to them and see what they would prefer. Your focus should be on finding them a person who will give them the stability, safety and structure that they need.
If you and your ex do wind up in a dispute or if you’re having trouble figuring out how to make these decisions, be sure you understand your legal options.