One of the cardinal rules of co-parenting is to avoid speaking negatively of your ex when your children are around. This rule usually applies to others who are involved with the children. No child should have to listen to bad things being said about one of their parents.
When you find out that you are the subject of badmouthing, you might be tempted to just fly off the handle. This will likely work against you and could provide fuel for your ex to use against you. It is imperative that you react in an appropriate manner if you find out you are being spoken ill of.
The most important thing to remember is that you need to remain calm and neutral. Try not to let your emotions take over. This might be difficult but thinking logically can help you avoid doing something you might regret later.
You should also avoid the temptation to retaliate against the person who was doing the badmouthing. Don’t return the negative comments. Instead, take the high road and remain a person who sets a good example for your children. Being retaliatory and speaking ill of other people are bad examples for children who are very impressionable.
Once your emotions have settled some and you are able to control yourself, you should take action to make the badmouthing stop. This might be as simple as asking the person to remember that the behavior isn’t helping the children. In severe cases, you might need to have something forbidding badmouthing included in the child custody agreement.
Source: Our Family Wizard, “3 Healthier Ways to Respond to Badmouthing,” accessed May 04, 2018