Co-parenting during the coronavirus pandemic has been especially difficult. Navigating the new year as a divorced or separated parent can be extremely challenging in typical circumstances. However, if you are adapting to co-parenting, or you experience changes in your life, such as a job loss, you could be finding it difficult, if not impossible, to work with your co-parent. Kids and adults are busier than ever, and coordinating sports practices, school events, and vacations is never easy. Managing issues related to religious practices, school choices, and discipline strategies can also be challenging for co-parents.
When co-parents are already experiencing conflict in their relationship, they can become gridlocked when coordinating their children’s schedules. Working with a professional parenting coordinator is one way that co-parents can negotiate co-parenting schedules and ease their burdens. Parenting coordinators help co-parents develop parenting plans, resolve disputes, and improve communication. We will discuss five benefits of hiring a parenting coordinator below.
Entering the courtroom is often intimidating, but doing so can be particularly difficult for parents worried about child custody matters. When you work with a parenting coordinator, he or she will be able to help you make decisions when you and your co-parent cannot come to a decision together. Parenting coordinators are trained to help parents negotiate difficult topics and use that training to guide you through any conflicts you are experiencing with your co-parent.
Many of our clients are interested in keeping their private lives private. When they need to attend a hearing in court, their private affairs are discussed in front of strangers. For many parents, discussing private aspects of their personal lives can be uncomfortable. One way to avoid spending a significant amount of time in court is to hire a parenting coordinator. The fewer conflicts you and your spouse have, the fewer trips to a North Carolina Family Court you will need to make. Instead, you can work out minor issues yourselves with the help of your parenting coordinator. You will not need a judge to rule on every aspect of your case.
In most divorce cases, communication will break down to some degree between co-parents. Even in the most amicable divorce, it is likely that the communication between co-parents became strained at some point. Parents are the most important influencers in their children’s lives. When you work with a co-parent, you will show your children that resolving conflict peacefully and respectfully is important. You will also be able to show them that it is okay to ask for help when you are unable to do your own. Children always notice conflict and divisive communication, and by working with a parenting coordinator, you can model good communication skills for your children. Additionally, you will likely learn helpful communication tips that you can use to build and maintain better relationships with your children as they get older.
For many divorced couples, getting a divorce is one of the most stressful experiences of their lives. Even when a divorce goes relatively smoothly, it is a significant life change that will cause some level of stress to you and your children. If you have an additional conflict with your co-parent, it has likely put an additional emotional burden on you and your children. Sometimes parents assume that just because they are not arguing with their co-parent in front of their children, their children are not affected by the ongoing conflict. However, children often have a sense of the tension involved in their parents’ relationships.
Parenting coordinators focus on the individual needs of each co-parenting team. If you and your co-parent have an urgent need to decrease the tension in your relationship, your parenting coordinator will focus on that issue first. Not only will they help you resolve the conflict you are dealing with, but they will also give you tips for resolving future disputes in a less stressful way. You and your kids will be glad when you stopped fighting so much with your co-parent, and you will all enjoy having more peace and your family relationships.
The more you are able to resolve parenting conflicts effectively, the more time you will save. Many parents are concerned about losing precious time with their children. The less time you spend resolving conflict with your co-parent, the more intentional time you will be able to spend with your children. Whatever stage you are in, a parenting coordinator may be able to help you focus on your kids. Whether you are transitioning into co-parenting for the first time, or you hit some bumps in the road along the way, your parenting coordinator will be able to help your family’s unique situation.
Co-parenting is hard no matter what. Sometimes it is hard to know what steps to take or how to resolve a conflict that has been ongoing. You may have already used up your emotional resources on a particular conflict. When you work with a neutral third-party, you take some of the pressure off yourself and your co-parent. Your parenting coordinator will be a fresh pair of eyes on a situation and help both of you resolve your issue without favoring co-parent. Having another trusted person’s perspective on a matter can be a breath of fresh air.
Are you considering a separation or divorce? Or, are you in the middle of a child custody dispute? If so, you need an experienced lawyer on your side who can advise you of your legal options and represent the best interests of you and your children. Our compassionate attorneys are here to help and guide you through the process. We represent clients in traditional divorce cases and collaborative divorces. Contact the experienced family law attorneys at Gailor Hunt Davis Taylor & Gibbs, PLLC to schedule your initial consultation.
