Study Examines Co-Parenting Best Practices After Divorce

Divorce has considerable legal ramifications for the parties involved, but when two parents decide to separate, the change also has obvious consequences for their children. Denver-area residents will be interested to learn about new research into the process of sharing child custody after parents divorce and how to handle issues in the best interests of the children.

An Oct. 21 article in the Deseret News reported on the research. It noted that one in every two children will experience the divorce of their parents before they turn 18, citing information from the conservative Heritage Foundation. But it also noted that divorced parents who focus solidly on their children's needs can maintain a far more satisfying custody arrangement for everyone involved.

The study involved 20 divorced or separated mothers who shared physical and legal custody of children, from toddler age up to 12 years, with their former spouses. Of the women, 45 percent were in a contentious co-parenting relationship, 20 percent had an amicable relationship, and 35 reported an improvement in their relationship.

One of the study's authors noted that parental conflict after divorce is the most harmful thing children can deal with. She notes that both parents need to make a conscientious effort to work together to ensure a child's security and wellbeing.

While it's important for anyone involved in a divorce to be aware of one's full legal rights under the law, it's also important to plan for how co-parenting will affect child development going forward.

Source: Deseret News, "Parenting under two roofs: Focusing on the children after divorce," Rachel Lowry, Oct. 21, 2012

Tags: child custody, co-parenting, divorce, joint custody, parental rights

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