Contract Warnings?

[Wiggle Wiggle]

Hello everyone,

I have not been on in quite a while, I hope everyone is keeping well.:)

I have a query I hope you may be able to help with. I will be taking on a contract where the child’s parents are co-parenting. As this is the first time I am taking on a contract like this, is there anything I should be thinking about. For example, what have you learned regarding issues/ problems that arose in hindsight that may/could have been avoided through perhaps communication.

Many thanks in advance.

[sarah707]

Do you mean the child is living half with one parent and half with the other?

Make sure you send a diary to both - we use email so it's quick - and if we have photos both parents get a whatsapp message :D

[Wiggle Wiggle]

Thank you, Sarah, yes, child living half and half with both. Thank you this is helpful.

[BallyH]

Plus say from the start you will never take sides in arguments, in fact say you don't want to hear about the other person's shortcomings.

[moggy]

I'd be wanting to know what the relationship between the 2 parents was like- are they on speaking terms? Will they be happy to sit together to discuss the child, do learning and dev reviews, sign contracts together etc. Is there 1 parent who takes more of the lead in these things, or will you need to repeat every questions and decision that needs to be made about the child's care (like one says it is time to potty train and the other says no, one says it is time to give up a dummy and the other says no)- sounds silly but you wouldn't believe the discussions that can go on- I know of separated parents who insist on separate parents evenings at school, each try to out do the other parent at everything involving the child, each putting down the other... awful situation.

[Wiggle Wiggle]

Thank you BallyH and Moggy. Very useful considerations.