Whether it was a quick and uncontested divorce or a fiercely litigated one with multiple battles spanning many months or even years, the Judge has just signed your Divorce Decree, now what?

You may be wondering, “How can I move forward with my life in the best way I possible? I have children, and I desperately want to make sure they grow up to be happy, healthy, and contributing members of society, and I want to limit as much negativity as possible with my ex. What can I do?”

Well, your Divorce Decree is going to be your guide. Its purpose is to outline the legal relationship you now have with your ex-spouse. It should describe many things like, who gets the kids on which days, what tax exemptions you might get, what happens with the kids on birthdays, holidays, and on unscheduled vacation requests, and more. Thus, this document, your rulebook, is going to answer all of these questions.

Here are 3 basic steps to consider now that your divorce is over:

  1. Be Flexible. Infrequent flexibility in your parent-time can go a long way. Many issues after a divorce result in parents arguing about parent-time. Typically, parties are very protective of their parent-time, however, you must keep in mind that there may be a day in the future when you need some extra parent-time.
  2. Be Nice. This may seem like an obvious suggestion, be cordial with your ex, but being nice can go a long way, and often when you are nice, the same is reciprocated.
  3. Stay in Touch With Your Attorney. If you ever have any questions about your Divorce Decree, you should get in touch with your attorney. Generally, your attorney will be able to provide you with insights on how to navigate your Decree. He or she has very likely seen what to do and what not to do after a divorce.

A divorce can be a very difficult process but these steps can help in making your post-divorce relationship with your ex-spouse easier.