Practicing exclusively in family law, I have seen many co-parenting relationships spiral out of control, but I have also seen many parents succeed. Most rewarding, I have worked with clients who, at our initial meeting, tell me there is no hope of co-parenting with their soon-to-be ex-spouse, but later find out that with the right mindset and communication tools, it can work for the sake of their children. The parents transform and work together in ways they couldn't imagine at the start of their process.

In my opinion, based on what I have seen, one of the hardest parts of a co-parenting relationship is putting aside the hurt, anger, or other feelings that adults experience during the divorce process. It is certainly important to address the emotional aspects of a divorce and there are many options for clients as they move through the process (e.g. therapy, life coach, yoga, other self-care regimens, etc.). The key is to avoid working through these feelings in the presence of the children.

When children see their divorced/separated parents communicating respectfully, attending sport/extracurricular events in the same building, and appreciating one another as a parent, children can thrive. Do not just take it from me. I came across this wonderful article, "Co-Parenting Tips for Divorced Parents" at Helpguide.org and it provides some wonderful tips for those who are interested in a successful co-parenting relationship. It all starts with a desire to make it work, knowing that each parent will learn along the way; we are all human and make mistakes, but putting the kids at the forefront will be worth your while.

How is your co-parenting relationship? If you have a success story you'd like to share, I'd love to hear about it! Please feel free to reach out: (734) 531-8554; jessica@mifamilylawfirm.com.