Keep Conversations Short and Polite

The shorter the better; less room for arguments.

The longer the conversation, the more likely there may be a disagreement, particularly if it's only been a relatively short time since you have separated. Because you or he may still feel still some underlying resentment, anger, hurt or frustration, you could easily trigger each other off the longer you maintain a conversation. So the key is to keep it short and to the point.

The way to do this is to plan ahead. Be clear of what you want to ask your ex next time you see him. Ask politely and stick to the point. Don't let yourself get sidetracked with other issues. They can be dealt with later in another short conversation.

If instead it’s your ex who wants to ask something, give him the space to do so. But if you feel that it's something that you have limited tolerance for, again, try to keep the conversation short and suggest calmly that you either discuss it at another time or you will send an e-mail with your thoughts.

Either way, it's important to remember that men respond better to short conversations and ideally what you're trying to do is make your life easier and less hassled, so the shorter the better.