If you are co-parenting with the other parent of your children, you may not always agree on the way to bring up your kids. This might be true for things such as education and discipline. While there is no one right way to bring up your children, you may have concerns about the way that the other parent chooses to discipline them. Perhaps you believe that their method of discipline is simply too harsh or that their strategies are bordering on abusive.
If you are concerned about the welfare of your children when they are under the care of the other parent, it is important that you do not delay action if you believe that the behavior is abusive. If you believe that your children’s safety is being put at risk, you have the right to refuse custody if you genuinely fear for their safety.
How to judge the other parent’s parenting style
It is important to remember that it’s likely that the only feedback you are getting regarding the parenting style of your ex is through your children. You can use their age and maturity level to decide how to interpret their feedback. If they believe a decision the other parent made was unfair or mean, this could just come down to the other parent having a differing parenting style from yours. However, if your children are injured or bruised, or they express fear or worry about visiting the other parent, this should be cause for concern.
It is important that you communicate regularly with your children and their other parent to make sure that your children’s well-being is protected.