The Importance of Communication Among Co-parents Today

The Court expects you to talk with your co-parent…and you really should! Far too many times in dissolution of marriage (divorce) or paternity actions, rather than working together for their children, former spouses choose to parallel parent.  Parallel parenting can be defined as an arrangement where each parent makes decisions regarding health, routines, overall well-being of the child exclusively, when the minor child(ren) is under his or her care, respectively. Such a dynamic requires less interaction, which may result in less conflict.

Unfortunately, the difficulties begin when parallel parenting is the only effort being made. There will be circumstances where both parents are going to need to talk and provide a united front for the benefit of their child or children.

As a father myself, I will always remember the start of one Little League season where I overheard a parent having a conversation with a coach that their child would be missing games every other week while said child is with the other parent. With empathy, I couldn’t help but feel terrible for the child and the entire situation.

The need to communicate and make joint decisions has truly come to a head during the pandemic, especially when dealing with making choices regarding schooling for minor children.  The determination of whether to attend school virtually or in person can be a very difficult decision for an intact couple.  But for divorced parents, the logistics are harder and in turn, so is making that decision.  Unless you have agreed to a decision about attending school, timely communication is imperative, before classes begin. In situations parents cannot agree, our experienced family law attorneys are available to help. If necessary, the Court may need to get involved.

Daily communication isn’t always needed between co-parents, but consistent communication such as updates about school events or progress is important and required. We encourage our Clients to set aside any personal anger toward their former spouse, as he or she will always be your child’s other parent.  Many times, when you complain or criticize the other parent, you are upsetting or making your child feel badly.  When parents actively portray their former spouse in a positive manner, it creates a peaceful environment for the child or children involved.

To speak to a family law attorney regarding co-parenting issues or if you are having trouble navigating COVID issues, Virtual School vs. Face to Face Learning, please contact us today.

Photo Credit: Thomas Lefebvre via Unsplash