Going through a divorce when you have children can be a challenge, particularly if you can’t get along with your ex. One of the most difficult things you’ll have to determine is what type of parenting arrangement you’ll follow.
There are several options that you have to consider. One of these is parallel parenting. Understanding a few points about this style may help you to decide if this is the best option for your needs.
Limited parental communication
Parallel parenting is often the option that’s chosen in contentious parenting relationships because the parents have very limited communication. Discussions are limited to things related to the children and are often handled on a scheduled basis unless there’s an emergency.
Some parents in parallel parenting relationships only communicate via text, email or a parenting app so everything can be recorded. This removes the chance of misstatements being made.
Distinct rule sets
In parallel parenting, each parent is responsible for making their own rules. This means the children need to adjust to different rules when they switch homes. In some cases, major rules, such as education requirements or religious expectations, may be covered in the parenting plan.
Decision-making powers
Another important consideration in parallel parenting is decision making. One parent will typically be responsible for specific decisions and the other parent will be responsible for others. For example, one parent may make decisions about medical care and the other may make religious decisions.
The parenting plan is the backbone of this type of arrangement. Having everything clearly outlined in the plan can take the guesswork out of the parenting time schedule and other points.