If you are a divorcing parent of minor children, you have decisions to make regarding the kind of co-parenting relationship you want to have with your soon-to-be ex-spouse.
For some families, choosing the option of parallel parenting works best for their fractured families. A deeper delve can help you determine whether it’s a good choice for you and your family.
What does it entail?
Some split-up couples simply cannot communicate effectively with one another. That may change down the road as each party gets used to the changes in their lives. But people must live in the present and not some Utopian future that may never pan out.
With parallel parenting, each parent deals with their own responsibilities in that role and doesn’t collaborate on outcomes or share all but the most basic information between them. When information must be shared, it’s often done through texts, emails or special parenting apps designed to document each interaction and simplify the communication process.
How it differs from co-parenting
Some parallel parenting relationships may segue into effective co-parenting between the adults, but that is not the goal. With co-parenting, there is much more collaboration and intent to work together to achieve common parenting goals. It’s important to remember that children raised in a parallel parenting environment can emerge emotionally healthy and with relationships with both parents intact.
Parallel parenting eliminates much of the ongoing drama that may have initiated or fueled the relationship breakdown. If either you or your partner tends to say negative things about the other parent, it can be better for your children to embrace the parallel parenting model.
