Not all New Jersey couples are able to co-parent their children after a divorce. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t both continue to maintain their relationship with their kids. Parallel parenting might be a better option; this is what it means and when it’s appropriate.
Explaining parallel parenting
Family law does not dictate that all parents share their responsibilities equally; in some cases, this is impossible. If you and your former spouse have gone through a high-conflict divorce, you might not be able to work together to continue raising your children. This is where parallel parenting is valuable. It’s a means for parents to continue raising their children separately. It may be necessary in situations where one party is a narcissist or there’s a history of abuse. Parallel parenting means that you maintain minimal contact; each parent uses their own method for raising the child instead of working together to determine what to do.
Parallel parenting vs co-parenting
With co-parenting, the parents work together to raise their kids in a way that benefits everyone. They stay in continuous communication and coordinate with one another regarding everyday events in the child’s life and special activities. Both parents agree on how they will continue raising the child while ensuring that they check in with one another regularly. With parallel parenting, parents don’t do this anywhere near as much; they only communicate when absolutely necessary such as when an emergency arises.
Parallel parenting can benefit kids when the family history involves high-conflict situations. Children have fewer academic and behavioral problems when both parents remain in their lives. Their self-esteem is better and they have a healthier outlook on life.
Parents can also benefit from parallel parenting. It gives them the chance to heal from their toxic relationship without worrying about their children suffering from constant fights and tension.
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