Children benefit when their parents are cooperative coparents. If parents can step outside their interpersonal issues and work together for the best interests of their child(ren), they are not only modeling good parental behavior, they are also helping their children to create positive and healthy relationships.
Joint legal custody means parents share decision making over the big stuff – health, religion, education. Shared physical custody means parents also share about equal parenting time with the children wherein the children may reside at both homes.
One benefit to shared physical custody is that the child(ren) doesn’t have to miss out on parenting time with either parent or miss sharing life milestones and experiences with the other parent.
Another benefit is the parent’s reduction in “burn out.” Demands are intense when trying to raise children alone. Many single parents need help and a support system – it takes a village after all. What better support than that of the other parent?
Parents who coparent in a healthy way report a feeling of well-being knowing they are working together in making decisions based on what their child(ren)’s needs are.
For those who have concerns that children may feel unstable in a shared custody plan, we recommend doing your research. There are published psychological studies that show the many benefits of shared physical custody which are linked to child(ren)’s ages, life cycles and developmental stages.