Handbook for Parents 3
Co-parenting

2) Co-parenting

Children’s needs include:

• The right to know the truth and any up-coming plans – explain the situation and future arrangements in a way that they can understand.


• Stable life routine – such as maintaining relationship with family and friends, living environment, social network, as well as any social activities.


• Communication – encourage them to stay in contact with people they care via phone calls, emails, or even meet up with them face to face.


• Parents’ active listening and acceptance – listen to and accept your children’s thoughts before making any major decisions.

Parental responsibility agreement outlines the responsibilities of both parents in raising their children and the share of the bonding time with their children. The focus should be on what is in the best interests of the children. In majority of cases, allowing the children to have close, stable and continuous relationships with both parents is in their best interests. The definition of “children’s best interests” will vary in different households, for example, both parents taking up the equal amount of bonding time might seem ideal for some families, but not to the others.

There are a lot of things to look out for when making care arrangement plans for your children, and it might be overwhelming at first. For that reason, we have created a chart below on co-parenting with all the essential items listed on the left, which will help separated/divorced parents divide and conquer, making this process smoother and more comprehensive.