Divorce is hard on all parties involved, but especially so on the children. If you and your ex are now in the middle of a child custody battle, it's important to keep the dos and don'ts listed below in mind.

Do Make Every Effort to Work with Your Ex

Like it or not, your ex is also the parent of your child. This means you'll have to be willing to work with them on issues related to parenting. While custody battles can get testy, it's important to be as diplomatic as possible when it comes to interacting with your ex.

Unfortunately, your ex may not be as willing to work with you as you are with them. This can make the battle difficult, but it's important to document all times when your attempts to work with them were thwarted by your ex. This may very well come up in negotiations, and it's important that you have proof on your side that you did all you could given the situation.

Don't Drag Your Child Into Your Problems

Your child is dealing with enough upheaval at the moment. It's important to keep your child out of the battle as much as possible. This can be as simple as deciding not to talk negatively about your ex in front of them.

While your child is technically in the middle of the custody battle, it's important to give them the emotional support that they very likely require. The custody battle between yourself and your ex will ultimately have an impact on your child, but it's important that they don't feel as if they're a cause of the proceedings. Your child loves both you and your ex, so transferring your baggage over to them can cause feelings of angst and confusion.

Do Work With a Custody Lawyer

Custody lawyers are experienced individuals who deal with the upheaval of divorce and the child custody battles that ensue. If you're concerned that your ex will try to prevent you from sharing custody of your child, it's important that you seek the help of a custody lawyer immediately.

Custody lawyers know the ins and outs of custody proceedings and, ultimately, what a judge needs to make their decision. If your ex refuses to work with you, it's important that you get a lawyer who can prove that you're trying your best to be there for your child.

Don't Dig In Your Heels

The shorter the custody battle, the better for all individuals involved. If your ex is offering you a custody agreement that you feel you can live with, take it. While it's important not to let your ex walk all over you, it's also important to compromise, and sometimes this means being the bigger person.

As long as the terms of the agreement aren't unfair or impossible for you to meet, coming to an agreement can mean the end of upheaval for your child. This may mean compromising on which holidays will be spent with your child or how many weeks you or your ex will have them during the summer. Working with an experienced custody lawyer, you can be sure that your rights as their parent aren't being trampled on, but instead, you're coming to an agreement that will end this battle once and for all.

While it can be difficult, divorce and separation is necessary for many marriages. If you and your ex are now fighting a custody battle, it's important that you follow the above list and continue to do all that you can to ensure your child is happy, healthy, and thriving.  If you're looking for a family lawyer near you, visit Law Offices of Lynda Latta, LLC.