Joseph Zoucha Attorney Counselor at Law

Are you going through a high-conflict divorce in California? If so, you may be worried about how you will spend time with your children. The solution to stressful situations like this could be parallel parenting. Here is how the concept works.

The difference between parallel parenting and co-parenting

Co-parenting is a popular child custody concept for divorced parents where the mother and father cooperate on all parenting issues. The parents work together to raise their children with similar rules in both homes, presenting a united front when problems arise. Parallel parenting is much different, as its purpose is to reduce conflict between the adults. In a parallel situation, each parent has specific responsibilities, carrying out daily tasks without consulting the other parents.

Parallel parenting tasks vary depending on the divorce agreement. Some couples will decide to collaborate on certain decisions involving specifics like religion, school and extracurricular activities while leaving daily logistics up to the parent taking care of the children at a particular time. They may also switch out which parent attends important school and other functions involving their children. Others may assign specific areas to each parent. The goal of every agreement is to reduce the time the parents must spend with each other.

This parenting plan allows both parents to remain involved in their children’s lives following divorce. Joint custody provides for better outcomes for children in several mental health areas.

How to develop a parallel parenting plan

Even if you are not familiar with the parallel parenting concept. developing a plan is much like creating other divorce agreements. If you are willing to address issues with the help of a counselor, mediator or another qualified professional experienced with parenting plans, you can work out a plan to benefit your children.

The important thing to remember is your children are your first priority. Ensuring that their needs are met in a way that benefits them is crucial. Everyone benefits when parents avoid conflict but still attend to their children’s needs. Parallel parenting can provide a healthier mental situation for parents as well as children.