In any divorce case that involves children, child custody issues are some of the most contentious. No parent wants to face the possibility of not being able to spend as much time with their children as they would like to. In some cases, parents may even fight for more parenting time just to spite their spouse. Unfortunately, the conflict does not always end after divorce. When that is the case, parallel parenting may be the answer.
Parallel Parenting vs. Co-Parenting
Co-parenting typically involves two former spouses working together to raise their children in separate homes. It often involves numerous discussions regarding child-related decisions. The parents may work cooperatively to address changes in the parenting time schedule, school concerns, or behavior issues. Parents may even attend child-related events such as school plays or soccer games together.
However, this type of cooperative co-parenting is not always feasible. If parents cannot work together to address child-related concerns, parallel parenting may be the right choice. In a parallel parenting arrangement, parents have very limited contact with each other and do not necessarily share as much information with each other. Parallel parents may alternate which parent is going to attend extra-curricular activities with their child, or the parent that is currently having visitation time may be the one to attend. If a decision does have to be made, the parents will typically communicate with each other in writing to avoid high conflict situations.
The Benefits of Parallel Parenting
Parallel parenting has many different advantages, with the biggest being that it does not expose children to unnecessary conflict. When a child’s parents cannot get along or remain civil, it can be very damaging to the child. Parallel parenting prevents this from happening because the parents have such little contact with each other. Children that are not regularly exposed to arguing parents can better develop a positive relationship with both parents without feeling alienated from one or the other.
Parallel parenting also allows each parent to raise their children in their own way. They do not have to ask permission from the other parent or run certain decisions past their former spouse. This can make parenting much easier and also keep contention out of parenting decisions.
Our Illinois Family Lawyers Can Help with Your Child Custody Case
If you are getting divorced or you are involved in a child custody dispute, a skilled DuPage County family lawyer can help. Call the Law Office of Martoccio & Martoccio at 630-920-8855 or fill out our online form to schedule a free initial consultation so we can review your case.
Source:
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2497&ChapterID=59