Many residents of Los Angeles have probably heard the phrase co-parenting mentioned among parents who live in separate households. Even many of the celebrities who live in this area have indicated that they practice co-parenting in their relationships.
The idea behind co-parenting is that it enables children to feel that they can and in fact do have a quality relationship with both of their parents. This has been shown to help children adjust after their parents end their romantic relationship with each other, assuming one ever existed in the first place.
Co-parenting entails a situation in which the two parents consciously make efforts to both be involved in their child's daily affairs as well as major decisions. They also agree to respect each other's involvement in the child's life under the assumption that, unless for a very good reason, the child will not be separated from either parent to any significant extent.
To co-parent successfully, both parents have to be able to communicate reasonably well, at least with respect to matters that pertain to their children. This means that if there are conflicts, they must be set aside when dealing with the children.
On the flip side, it is important for both parents to set up healthy boundaries, and it is also important for them to be mindful that, even on a practical level, it can be hard to coordinate the schedules of both parents as well as those of the children, particularly as they get older.
Even when two California parents are committed to getting along, co-parenting still requires a carefully drafted and negotiated parenting plan. An experienced family law attorney can help in this respect.
