Co-Parenting After Separation Guide

I'm co-parenting after separation and the dynamic with my ex is making it really hard on everyone.

Children's ages: [AGES]
How long since separation: [TIME]
The main difficulty: [e.g. they undermine me / inconsistent rules / using children as messengers / refuses to communicate / conflict at handovers]
How things are currently: [describe the communication — or lack of it]
What the children are showing: [how are they coping]

Give me a practical co-parenting guide:
1. **The ground rules that make co-parenting work** — what needs to be established clearly
2. **How to communicate with a difficult ex** — the minimum viable approach when direct communication is toxic
3. **Handling different rules in different houses** — what matters and what doesn't
4. **Keeping the children out of the middle** — specific things to say and not to say
5. **Managing handovers** — making them as calm as possible
6. **When to involve a mediator or solicitor** — signs the situation needs formal structure

I'm co-parenting after separation and the dynamic with my ex is making it really hard on everyone.

Children's ages: [AGES]
How long since separation: [TIME]
The main difficulty: [e.g. they undermine me / inconsistent rules / using children as messengers / refuses to communicate / conflict at handovers]
How things are currently: [describe the communication — or lack of it]
What the children are showing: [how are they coping]

Give me a practical co-parenting guide:
1. **The ground rules that make co-parenting work** — what needs to be established clearly
2. **How to communicate with a difficult ex** — the minimum viable approach when direct communication is toxic
3. **Handling different rules in different houses** — what matters and what doesn't
4. **Keeping the children out of the middle** — specific things to say and not to say
5. **Managing handovers** — making them as calm as possible
6. **When to involve a mediator or solicitor** — signs the situation needs formal structure