Shared parenting is where parents who live apart share the care and responsibilities for their children as equally as possible. You may share parenting with a husband, wife or partner you’ve now split up from, or you may never have been a couple. Whenever it's safe and possible, children benefit from positive relationships with both parents, but it isn’t always easy to maintain this, especially if you’ve been through a bad breakup.
Here are some tips that can help make co-parenting easier for everyone.
Tip #1: Make a Parenting Plan
Tip #1: Make a Parenting Plan
Tip #2: Remember that stability is more important than family structure
Tip #2: Remember that stability is more important than family structure
Tip #3: Understand your rights
Tip #3: Understand your rights
Tip #4: Understand your children's rights
Tip #4: Understand your children's rights
Tip #5: Keep things civil with the other parent
Tip #5: Keep things civil with the other parent
Tip #6: Support your children’s relationship with their other parent
Tip #6: Support your children’s relationship with their other parent
Tip #7: Double up
Tip #7: Double up
Tip #8: Stay involved with your child's learning
Tip #8: Stay involved with your child's learning
Tip #9: Agree in advance how you’ll spend holidays and other special days
Tip #9: Agree in advance how you’ll spend holidays and other special days
Tip #10: Make plans for the time your child spends with their other parent
Tip #10: Make plans for the time your child spends with their other parent
Tip #11: Keep the children informed
Tip #11: Keep the children informed
Introducing a new partner
If you meet someone else, this can be an exciting time for you but it can also be hard for your children – and their other parent. Children can find it hard to accept a parent's new partners. They may see it as a reminder that their mum or dad aren’t going to get back together, or be worried that this will lead to more change for them. They may resent any time you spend with a new partner, or feel that if they start to like them they're betraying their other parent.
Many parents only introduce new partners to their children (and their other parent) when they're sure the relationship will last. Whenever you feel the time is right, it's important to take things slowly.
It’s also good to keep their daily routines as consistent as possible and give them plenty of time to adjust. There are lots of helpful tips on the Relationships Scotland website to help your children adjust to having a new adult in their lives.
Family Support Directory
Find more support on your family relationships from trusted organisations in our Family Support Directory.