Experts say that working together with a co-parent after divorce often has the greatest benefit for children of divorce. However, not all divorcees have the ability to work with their ex after a split, depending on several factors like personality and the circumstances behind the divorce.
In this situation, you still have options that can serve the needs of both co-parents and also the children of divorce. This option is parallel parenting.
How parallel parenting helps children
When looking into parallel parenting, Psychology Today points out the benefits that it can have for estranged co-parents in addition to their children. Parallel parenting exists to serve a dual purpose: allowing children to reap the benefits of a two-parent household while simultaneously keeping estranged parents from having to engage in direct contact.
With parallel parenting, co-parents will instead communicate through text instead of through the phone or direct, in-person meetings. How this communication works may differ from case to case. Some parents choose to communicate through emails or text messages, while others may use third-party applications for this purpose. Some will pass a notebook back and forward through their child, making reports on how visitations went through hand-written messages instead.
Adjusting parenting situations over time
Parallel parenting is not intended to serve as a permanent arrangement, and you will need to go to court once every year to have the situation reassessed. However, it often gives co-parents the space and time they need to readjust to life after a split while providing support to a child in their time of need.
Consider speaking with legal help to see if parallel parenting fits your lifestyle and suits your situation.
