Your Parenting Plan: The Coparenting Continuum

Parenting after divorce is full of challenges. Beyond adjusting to your new life, you’re also adjusting to new ways of interacting with your child’s other parent — and it’s not always easy.

No matter how well you and your ex get along, especially in the early stages following divorce, coparenting is new and therefore hard. If you’re in a situation where your ex is hostile or even abusive, it can be objectively awful.

Fortunately, coparenting exists on a continuum, with parallel parenting at one end and cooperative parenting at the other. Finding the right balance between the two will help you be your best self, so you can focus on supporting your child through this transition. Trial and error is typical, so be patient with yourself.

The coparenting continuum

We all worry about how our children will adjust to their lives post-divorce. We hope they’ll feel secure, supported, and open with their feelings. And while there are no guarantees in life, we can certainly bolster their chances. 

“One of the most impactful things we can do is demonstrate healthy conflict with their other parent. 

And if we can’t do that (because it’s not always possible), we need to reduce...