How To Deal With Your Ex's Bad Behavior

The ink may have dried on the divorce papers, but if you have children together, your ex-husband is still a part of your life, like it or not. You may be thinking that you got a divorce to get this person out of your life. But the reality is that although you now have separate homes, you still must be able to deal with each in a civilized manner for the sake of the kids.

This can be difficult sometimes. I know of a woman who has been divorced for over 2 years. Her ex comes over her house unannounced to see the kids, refuses to take the kids on his scheduled overnight visits and picks fights with her in front of the children.

If you are dealing with an ex-husband who is driving you crazy is there anything you can do?First,you need to set boundaries. If your ex is belittling you in front of the children, then you need to discuss this with him in private and explain that you will not tolerate this kind of behavior. If he refuses to cooperate, you should not have any contact with him when he comes to pick up the children for his visits. Why not use text messaging or emails to communicate instead of speaking to him on the phone or in person?

Show your ex that you mean business and will not accept his bad behavior. Remember , he may be treating you the same way he did during your marriage. He does not see you as the strong, independent women you have now become. You need to teach him how to treat you.

By standing up for yourself, you will be setting an example for your children. They will see their mother as someone who is confident and secure and does not allow others, including their father, to treat her badly. This will empower them and they will not tolerate bad behavior in their own future relationships.