As a co-parent going through a divorce, you may have a hard time visualizing what cooperative parenting will look like for you. If you currently exist in a mental space where cooperation seems like a distant dream, you may want to consider parallel parenting instead.
This option will offer a stepping stone on the path to cooperative parenting, giving you the time and space you need to heal while also serving your child’s best interests.
No face-to-face interactions
Psychology Today takes a closer look into the benefits related to parallel parenting. Parallel parenting cuts down on the possibility of arguments or conflict by removing your face-to-face interactions. You and your co-parent will not have in-person meetings or even discuss things over the phone. Instead, you communicate solely through text.
Text can mean emails, text messages or even hand-written notes and letters. One good idea involves writing down details of a week or visitation in a notebook and passing it between each other with your child. This allows you to get full updates on how your child is doing without ever needing to hold a conversation with your co-parent.
Periodic court reevaluation
The courts will evaluate your relationship and status throughout the years. Each time they review your case, they will determine if things should continue as they are, if more measures of separation should take place, or if parallel parenting should come to an end. The final goal is to move away from parallel parenting and toward cooperative parenting, which involves more contact.
Consider taking your case to an attorney, who can tell you more about whether they think parallel parenting will suit your needs as a parent and meet your child’s needs as well.
