Paul Mandelstein offers a pragmatic and logical approach to navigating divorce with his book, providing valuable guidelines for a collaborative process. Below are some key takeaways from his advice:
- Remember to Be Nice: Strive to be kind and polite. Mutual respect is essential for creating a peaceful environment.
- Establish the 24-Hour Rule: Insist on taking 24 hours to think over any significant decisions you face.
- Spare the Kids: Make it a rule to never complain to the kids about their mom.
- Don’t Burden the Kids with Your Pain: Keep your anger and frustration away from the children.
- Seek Third-Party Help: When you’re stuck, don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance.
- Ask for What You Want: Be clear and direct about your needs instead of being defensive or expecting her to guess.
- Let Her Have Her Way Without Giving Up Yours: Find compromises where both of your needs can be met.
- Listen to Her Complaints Without Defending Yourself: Practice active listening, even if the complaints are about you, without jumping to defend yourself.
- Find Ways to Agree: Focus on areas of agreement and remind each other of these common grounds.
- Make Peace, Not War: Let go of trying to prove who’s right or wrong. Prioritize your kids and concentrate on making the present and future better rather than dwelling on the past.
If you apply the principles Paul Mandelstein shares in his book, you truly have the potential to become the World’s Best Dad during and after divorce.