1. Do not raise your voice- Raised voices, arguments, hateful remarks, and physical altercations are not suitable for children to see. Children are harmed when they see one parent say bad things about or refuse to acknowledge the existence of another parent.
2. Do not talk bad about other parent- When you talk bad about the other parent, children’s own images will be negatively affected. Children will only feel as good about themselves as they do about each parent.
3. Build stability – You and the other parent should be focused on providing structure, certainty and stability in their children’s lives.
4. It’s not about you- Keep remembering that the children’s feelings and well-being is what is important. It is not about your feelings or how comfortable you may or may not be.
5. Do not talk about adult issues- When you talk to the other parent about adult issues do not bring it up in front of the children. If the other parent and you simply cannot avoid fights and arguments when you begin or end visits, you should consider enlisting the help of another person who will agree to serve as a “neutral” to facilitate transfer of the children and avoiding negative contacts between the parents.