Divorced parents in Libertyville, Illinois, have a number of options when it comes to raising their children. Co-parenting and parallel parenting are the two main approaches. Both have their own benefits in different situations and with different parental sets. It is up to the parents involved to pick the best option for their parenting situation.
Co-parenting
Co-parenting can be a productive arrangement. They both work together in order to provide for the needs of their child or children. In co-parenting situations, parents often frequently communicate with one another to handle challenges or overcome problems that occur. They may attend certain events together with their child and share parenting time. This arrangement is often productive for parents that generally get along with one another. It reduces tension, friction, and the tendency to play one parent off of another when the parents of a child are divorced.
Parallel parenting
Parallel parenting is another approach to parenting that may be effective for parents that have a poor relationship between one another or differing amounts of time as a parent. In parallel parenting, partners parent their child separately and apart. They may only communicate in writing and for the most basic of reasons. Parallel parents may only discuss their children’s schedules and health needs. They may not even transfer their child on their own at appointed custody transfer times. Instead, they enlist third parties to make the transfer for them. There is often no shared parental philosophy in these situations and no common approach to parenting for the child involved.
In some instances, this parenting approach is effective for a child. The child is able to develop and grow without the stress and trauma of watching their parents regularly fight. Either approach can help lead to a happy, fulfilling childhood depending on the circumstances.
