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Louisiana parents generally want to do what is best for their children. However, figuring out what is in their best interest is not always clear, especially when a family situation is already complicated by a divorce. Co-parenting is a fairly popular choice for child custody at the moment, but is it right for everyone? Parents should consider a few things before diving into co-parenting.

Co-parenting involves maintaining a relationship with an ex-spouse. This approach to child custody is much different than traditional options, which is usually one parent with primary physical custody and the other with weekend visitations. Divorced parents who co-parent are not only actively involved in their children’s lives, but committed to keeping an open parenting relationship.

This means that even after divorce, those who co-parent can expect to still have input from their ex. This can be uncomfortable for some people as co-parents often choose to maintain similar home rules across both households. Finding common ground and compromise with an ex-spouse for home rules is difficult even for those who had extremely amicable divorces.

It can be difficult to start a co-parenting relationship, but the benefits are often worth it. Parents who can negotiate and compromise through the major issues involving child custody often find that it gets easier as time goes on, and children often benefit from parental continuity during an otherwise difficult period of their lives. This is an exciting prospect for parents in Louisiana, but the ultimate goal of any child custody agreement should be the best interests of the children.