Is parallel parenting a better choice for us?

On Behalf of | Apr 19, 2021 | Child Custody |

There are multiple ways to make parenting work for you after a divorce. Of course, if you have children with your ex-spouse you will still need to continue raising your children with them after you finish the divorce itself. Depending on your relationship with your ex-spouse, this can be very challenging.

Particularly if your ex-spouse suffers from personality disorders or if you simply have a high conflict relationship with your ex, the idea of co-parenting may seem impossible. This is where parallel parenting may be an effective solution.

What does parallel parenting do?

The goal of parallel parenting is for the children to have equal access to both parents but also not have to deal with the conflict that exists between the parents. Essentially, parallel parenting aims to separate the parents as much as possible. Whereas with a co-parenting situation you might have both parents attending a dance recital or sport practice together, with parallel parenting the parents are never in the same place at the same time.

How does this help?

Depending on the reasons behind your divorce, it may be a long time before you are able to fully trust your ex-spouse again. However, unless there is a history of abuse or addiction in your family, you will still need to parent with your ex-spouse. Children tend to do best with both parents active in their lives, even if the parents are no longer married.

Parallel parenting is a good way to ensure that the children get access to both parents. It also ensures that the parents are not around each other long enough for arguments to start. In some situations, this is the only healthy parenting arrangement available.