Divorcing couples in Kentucky who share custody must work together to make major decisions regarding their children. When their relationships are contentious working together can be nearly impossible, and a failure to do so will impact their kids for many years going forward. In this case, parallel parenting may be a good solution for high-conflict relationships, as explained by Psychology Today.
What is parallel parenting?
With parallel parenting, contact between exes is limited to prevent further conflict from occurring. This can entail interacting via indirect means, such as through email or text. Disengagement is key in this context, as many former spouses are unable to talk to each other civilly when face to face. However, communication is still necessary to ensure the children in the middle continue to be well cared for.
What are the benefits?
The greatest benefit of parallel parenting is that the best interest of your children will be upheld. In most cases courts prefer that kids have healthy, loving relationships with both parents. This entails both parents playing an active role in their children’s lives, whether making decisions about medical care, academic needs, or where to live. Parallel parenting is also a lot less stressful for exes, as they can contact each other in a way that feels comfortable.
When is this technique not a good idea?
While parallel parenting entails less contact than a traditional co-parenting relationship, for some couples it’s not recommended. This is the case when domestic violence issues led to the dissolution of marriage. With these cases courts often put protection orders in place and these orders should not be breached for any reason.
