When a child enters your life, it can be one of the most magical and exciting experiences you will ever encounter. It goes without saying that many parents do everything they can to ensure their child lives a happy and healthy life.
What is Co-Parenting?
Co-parenting can be explained in several different situations. For some households, it is when both individuals have a child together but are not married. In other cases, it is when the parents have divorced and may not be living together, but are still both raising and remain active in their children’s lives.
Regardless of the situation, when both parents are still active in a child’s life, it can make things a little easier even after a messy divorce or separation.
Do You Get Child Support?
Co-parenting may seem confusing for your children, but it won’t be. If you have recently gone through a divorce, but you and your ex-spouse are both still active in your child’s life, you are considered co-parents.
If a divorce results in any child support obligations, then they must still be paid. Many parents think that they may be unable to receive child support if both parents have custody, but this is not the case. Child support is determined by other factors as well.
Is it Bad for the Children?
Co-parenting may not necessarily be easy for a child to deal with, but it is still an acceptable way for your children to grow up.
A divorce isn’t easy for anyone, especially a child. Many children blame themselves for their parents’ divorce or separation. Though it may seem stressful on your children to bounce between their parents’ houses, it is actually quite the opposite.
Spending an equal amount of time with both parents will allow your children to live a seemingly normal lifestyle. Although both parents aren’t living in the same house, your children will still be able to spend quality time with the both of you-and that is what is healthy for them.
How Much Time Should Each Parent Get?
When it comes to co-parenting, you certainly want to have your children be exposed to both parents as often as possible so that they can continue living a normal life. A divorce can disrupt a child’s life but it doesn’t have to be the end of normalcy.
Writing a parenting plan together can allow both parents to participate and agree on equal visitation times and schedules. A parenting plan is a legal document that states the role of each parent to the child. This is also what displays the time-sharing schedule, choices regarding the child’s health care and schooling, and his or her overall well-being.
Of course, if both parents cannot agree on a parenting plan, a judge will. A judge bases his or her time-sharing decisions on:
– The relationship between each parent and the child
– The criminal background of each parent, such as criminal history or any form of abuse
– The financial stability of each parent