As co-parents who still get into conflicts frequently, you may wonder: is shared custody really the best option for your child? Experts suggest it, but what happens if you simply cannot get along with your co-parent?
In these cases, you may want to look into parallel parenting as an option. This could potentially give your child the benefit of shared custody while also limiting or even eliminating arguments.
Meeting everyone’s needs
Psychology Today takes a look into parallel parenting and how it impacts modern families of divorce. In specific, it serves as a tool that co-parents can use in order to meet your child’s needs while simultaneously keeping the needed distance between the two of you.
Not all co-parents can simply move on after a divorce or continue cooperating closely for the sake of their child. Sometimes, your emotions are strong enough that you simply cannot help but get into arguments when talking to one another in person. Thus, parallel parenting provides a remedy by removing face-to-face interactions.
Ways to communicate
Through parallel parenting, you and your co-parent only communicate through writing. You can talk through email, text messages on your phone, or instant messages on third-party applications. You can even write letters by hand. You may want to keep a notebook that travels back and forward with your child, in which you can record details of visitations and other matters. This allows you both to keep track of your child’s life and needs without communicating directly with your co-parent.
If you think this option sounds like a good fit for your situation, consider contacting legal help to learn more.
