Making choices that pertain to your children is one of the hardest aspects of divorce. This is an incredibly difficult process to navigate, especially when it is difficult to work with your spouse regarding a beneficial child custody arrangement. Many people are now opting for a joint custody arrangement, but will this actually work in your situation?
Co-parenting is a popular choice for custody. This type of arrangement requires that the two parents work together to jointly raise their children. If you opt for co-parenting, you will have to work closely with your ex-spouse, and both parties will have to be willing to work together until the children grow up. In situations when parents do not get along well, this simply may not work. If you don’t think co-parenting is right for you, it is possible that parallel parenting could work.
Parallel parenting: right for you?
Parallel parenting could work for you because it allows the children to maintain strong relationships with both parents while not requiring parents to interact with each other much at all. With this type of parenting strategy, there is a clear plan that both parents follow. Each parent has the freedom to make decisions for the child, as long as it does not cause any harm. They will only have to interact in emergency or serious situations.
Because of a detailed plan, specific drop-off and pick-up procedures and a system in place, parents can share custody with little to no interaction. Some of the benefits of this choice versus co-parenting include:
- It can significantly reduce the amount of conflict between parents who have to share co-parenting responsibilities. This also reduces stress on the children.
- Parallel parenting requires a thorough and meticulously detailed parenting plan. Because it is so detailed, it will work well, and there will be less chance of conflict going forward.
- This custody arrangement does not require that parents communicate well, respect each other or even talk to each other in order to work well. It only requires that both parents commit to following the plan.
- With parallel parenting, both parents will only be responsible for their own duties as outlined in the plan. They will have to give up the desire to try and control the other parent.
Before you make any decisions regarding your parenting plan, you may find it beneficial to discuss your custody options with an experienced New Hampshire family law attorney. If you think parallel parenting is the right choice, it can help to talk through all of the benefits and potential drawbacks of this type of arrangement before moving forward.
