Divorce is often a highly contentious process, and two Nebraska parents may not be able to work closely together after this process is final. While a co-parenting custody arrangement may be the ideal situation for the children, this requires two parents to work cooperatively with each other. In situations where this is not possible, it may be ideal to consider parallel parenting instead.
Co-parenting requires two parents to work together, but parallel parenting allows parents to make their own decisions during their allotted time with their kids. Each individual parent gets to decide what day-to-day activities will look like, and there is little need for each parent to communicate on a regular basis. Parallel parenting still offers the children the benefit of having regular access to both parents.
When it comes to making important decisions for the children, a parallel parenting plan may divide these responsibilities between the two parents. In major decisions regarding the kids, mediation or other types of intervention may be employed. Parental conflict may be minimized with this type of custody approach because direct contact is limited. In cases where there is a lot of contention between parents, this may be a preferable option to traditional co-parenting.
In considering child custody options, it may be worthwhile to think about the benefits of a parallel parenting arrangement. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to child custody, and each Nebraska family should consider what will be best long-term. The primary goal in every custody matter is to protect the best interests of the children above all else.