Parents often call the office frustrated because they’ve been court ordered to take a co-parenting class as part of their divorce proceedings and want to know which one to take. Many have multiple children of all ages and are confident they know how to handle their own kids without having to take co-parenting 101. It’s particularly annoying because they work full-time or are very busy juggling all the kid stuff. Going to a classroom once a week will not only make them have to cut out of work early, but is a major hassle because the classes never seem to be conveniently located. It also pulls them away from the kids at a time when they most need to be present. Well, we hear you. While we do offer in-person group classes for court requirements in our office, we also provide an online option that is widely accepted throughout the country. It varies by state, county and even judge within a jurisdiction as to whether you can take the program online, but it’s worth asking.
Online co-parenting classes offer parents a number of benefits. They can be taken from any Internet connected computer device so you can login from home, during a lunch hour at work or late at night after the kids have gone to bed. If you don’t have Internet access at home, you can use a computer at your local library. There is no limit to the number of times someone logs in or out, so the classes can be taken in one sitting or broken up over a weekend or period of weeks. The participant reads through the material and takes a final exam at the end of the mandated class length. A certificate of completion is sent to the participant to present to the court once the course is successfully finished.
The theory behind co-parenting classes is that this is a new experience for everyone and setting up guidelines that both parents agree on will create the smoothest transition for the children. Once you get approval to take them online and see how convenient it is, you will find that the classes are actually filled with valuable information to help you guide your kids through the change involved with divorce. The program renews skills by presenting the most current research based advice and spends time to specifically discuss how to respect your ex-spouse as a parent if not a partner, set up parenting plans, deal with blending new people into your lives and how to manage the stress of it all.
Learning how to create a co-parenting plan is a vital tool. They are designed to help put emotions aside and stabilize your children’s lives as much as possible. Things to consider and include are a primary residential schedule, a visitation schedule, holiday and birthday schedules, bedtimes and curfews and where the parents must reside. They can also include things like religion, dietary requirements and vaccinations, sleeping arrangements and what the contact will be with dating partners. Family rules don’t need to end just because the relationship has ended. In fact, kids thrive on structure and creating two separate but cohesive households is the best thing you can do for your children during this time.