Whether you call it co-parenting, joint custody or parallel parenting, co-parenting can be challenging. Find in this section of our website tips for joint custody and answers to questions that we have been asked by both custodial or non-custodial parents.
Co-parenting can be a nightmare if you had a particularly high conflict divorce or are having to parent with a narcissist. If you are finding it nearly impossible to co-parent with an ex, then it may be time to learn more about parallel parenting. Parallel parenting is a form of parenting where you limit contact…
New Jersey courts have long recognized the benefit of the involvement of both parents in the daily lives of their children and tend to favor joint custody when there is a divorce, absent any evidence of abuse or neglect. Courts today tend to favor a joint custody arrangement, which can be legal, physical, or both. …
It’s fairly common at times for children to refuse to visitation with a noncustodial parent, especially when they enter their teens. Sometimes their reasons raise serious concerns, such as if they say their other parent is drinking or doing drugs or is behaving abusively. Most of the time, though, it’s because they are growing up…
No matter what drove you apart, there is one thing that will always keep you together: your children. Your divorce may have ended your marriage, but it did not end your responsibility when it comes to co-parenting your children together — and the more amicable you can make your co-parenting, the better it will be…
Bickering relatives. Disappointed siblings. Stressed-out parents. We all grew up with some type of conflict around the holidays. When we were children, it was easy to sail past these in anticipation of gifts and great food at holiday time. As adults, we find ways to navigate the emotional land mines and try to make the…
New Jersey courts make custody decisions based on the best interests of children. Unless there are circumstances that would disqualify a parent from being in their child’s life — for example, domestic violence, abuse or criminal behavior — courts believe that it is important for both parents to be accessible to their children. However, in…
One of the major concerns non-custodial parents have following a divorce is maintaining a close relationship with their children. Because you are no longer living in the same home, it can be a struggle to sustain that strong bond without making a special effort to stay close. Following these parenting tips can help you avoid…
A parenting plan is an agreement between parents that outlines the custody of their children and covers practical arrangements such as who has the children on which days. A parenting plan will also cover the decision-making process for the children’s education, health care, religious training, and other life decisions. Generally, parents that are able to…
Like every other state, New Jersey family law courts prefer that both parents be involved in the lives of their children, so they are pre-disposed to liberal visitation – also known as parenting time – for the noncustodial parent. However, there are some instances where the courts may not grant visitation at all, or impose…
No matter how amicable your divorce, there is no question that it will have some sort of effect on your children. They will undoubtedly experience sadness, anger, and worry — many of the same emotions you experienced as well. After a divorce, it is not uncommon for the noncustodial parent to drift away — especially…
Parental alienation — where one parent tries to detach children emotionally from the other parent — is especially toxic for children of divorce, and therefore highly frowned upon by New Jersey family courts. Both fathers and mothers can be on the receiving end of parental alienation, so it helps to know the warning signs and…
While divorce is the end of your marriage, it is not the end of your — or your spouse’s — role as parents. To help ease the stress that divorce puts on your children, you need to work together to co-parent peacefully; here are five tips that will help you: Share custody. Absent any history…
Teens typically react to divorce in two ways: by being stoic and keeping their feelings in so as not to upset their parents, or by being angry at the world. To help your teen navigate the difficulties of divorce and its impact on the family, keep these tips in mind: Set a good example. When…
Parenting after a divorce is never easy. After all, when you and your spouse decided to have children, it was with the idea that both of you would always be there. And even though your ex may still be there for your children, he or she is not there in the same way to help…