Co-Parenting after Divorce

How to co-parent after divorce:

The role of spouse ends, yet the role of parent continues. You may find it helpful to stop and think about the following questions:

• How can I be involved in my child’s life?
• How do I manage parenting if my former spouse and I can’t get along?
• How can I get along with my former spouse well enough to parent our children together?

Co-parenting means both parents play an active role in their children’s day-to-day lives. The key to successful co-parenting arrangements is how well the parents function. What works best for some divorced parents may not work well for others.

Talk with other divorced parents for ideas. Then decide with your former spouse on the best parenting arrangement for you, your former spouse and your children. If your family has faced serious problems, such as family violence, child abuse, high conflict, or parental substance abuse, then co-parenting may not be the best option for your family.

Benefits of co-parenting after divorce:

• Children develop feelings of stability.
• Children continue relationships with both parents.
• Children are less likely to feel torn between their parents.
• Children are less likely to feel abandoned.
• Children are less likely to feel they have to meet the social and emotional needs of their parents.