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Raising contented children is not as straightforward as it sounds – especially for divorced or separated parents. When faced with the complications of co-operating with an ex, even the best intentions and sanest reasoning can fall by the wayside. When it does, it’s not easy to remember to give children’s needs priority.

But it doesn’t always have to be an uphill struggle, according to Christina McGhee, a divorce coach. In her new book, Parenting Apart, McGhee says that with the right guidance, parents and children can do more than just survive separation – they can even thrive in it.

McGhee sees plenty of former couples hitting bumps along the road, whether they’ve just separated or are years down the line. But she also sees the breakthroughs that help their family lives get better. Here, she picks 10 things parents do that make raising children apart easier.

1 Keep out of court

“Rearranging family relationships is not a matter of law,” writes Sir Andrew McFarlane, a Family Division High Court judge who endorses McGhee’s book with a foreword. “The courts will, if they have to, provide a resolution to any stated issue, but achieving a court order is highly likely to inflict further emotional damage on each of the family members involved.”

via The post-divorce parenting guide – Features, Health & Families – The Independent.