The end of a marriage will bring significant changes to a person’s life, including to changes to the relationship with his or her children. Arizona parents are naturally concerned with how their divorce will impact their kids, and one way to minimize the negative impact is to work for a smart and beneficial child custody plan. For many families, this means co-parenting.
Co-parenting means that parents will share responsibility for raising the children, and they will share relatively equitable parenting time as well. This allows the children to have strong relationships with both parents, but it takes hard work and consistency to make it work well. For any successful co-parenting relationship, consistency is key. This requires dedication and communication.
Co-parents will have to be positive and supportive of the other parent and his or her relationship with the kids. This is not always easy for two parents who recently divorced, but it is in the interests of the kids to set aside emotions and protect their well-being above all else. Finally, parents will have to work together to be consistent with discipline and other important matters that affect the children as they go from house to house.
When making decisions related to child custody before or during the divorce process, it is important to think about the long-term impact of these choices. Through thoughtful co-parenting, it is possible to provide kids with consistency and stability. Some parents may find it beneficial to discuss all of their child custody concerns with an experienced Arizona family law attorney.