Unique Co-Parenting Methods for Divorced Parents

 Posted on March 19, 2018 in Child Custody

If you are a parent who is getting divorced or planning to, you are probably concerned about how you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse will raise your children. If you plan on raising the kids together through a shared parenting scenario, you should know that there are some unique methods of co-parenting which have helped many families. These growing trends offer an alternative to traditional post-divorce living situations.

Nesting Arrangements

The majority of couples who get divorced end up living separately from each other. The most common living arrangement for parents who get divorced is for children to visit each parent at their home. Some experts find this arrangement to be especially burdensome on the children who are splitting their time between two homes. As an alternative, some parents are choosing to use what some call “the bird’s nest” strategy: The children live in one home and the parents take turns living there. For example, a parent may stay with the children one week in the “nest” home and then the other parent comes to stay with the children the following week. When the parents are not at the nest home, they are living in their own individual home. While many find this co-parenting strategy to be effective, it can also be quite expensive since it usually requires the couple to finance a third home for the children.

Living Together as Divorced Parents

Some married couples choose to continue living together even after they are divorced. This situation is probably not appropriate for couples who are hostile toward each other, but for some families, it works. Families in areas with a high cost of living such as New York City or Chicago are more likely to live together after a divorce than in areas where it is more affordable for one parent to move out. Although it can be very difficult to live in a house with someone you used to be married to, this alternative living arrangement does eliminate the cost and difficulties of transporting children between two homes.

Parallel Parenting

In some divorces, one or both parents are uncooperative or otherwise have trouble working together toward their parenting goals. In such a scenario, parallel parenting may be the best choice. Parallel parenting involves the parents treating their co-parenting responsibilities much like a business. Experts encourage parallel parents to use neutral language when communicating with each other and to keep the conversation only about children’s needs. Alternatively, parents can communicate about their kids through a third party in order to eliminate the risk of confrontation.

If you are a parent planning to get divorced, a Lombard family law attorney can help you determine the best possible parenting arrangement for your unique situation. To speak with a member of the team at from A. Traub and Associates, call our office at 630-426-0196 today.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/co-parenting-after-divorce/201307/birds-nest-co-parenting-arrangements

https://www.redbookmag.com/love-sex/relationships/advice/a14116/living-with-an-ex-after-divorce/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/tiffany-benyacko/5-reasons-why-parallel-parenting-is-better-than-co-parenting_b_8679076.html