How many parenting books have you read when you found out you were expecting a child? Because you’re reading this post, I’ll feel at liberty to say at least a few!
And if that’s the case, then you’re perfectly aware of how helpful they can be. However, you also know how hard it is to find the right book, knowing the plethora of different parenting methodologies out there.
Then there’s the question of co-parenting. Parenting is hard, but co-parenting is harder.
Thankfully, there are great co-parenting books out there that will answer the most frequently asked questions and offer valuable advice you’ll be able to apply in your co-parenting relationship.
Let me take you through a few of my favorites.
1) Parenting Apart: How Separated and Divorced Parents Can Raise Happy and Secure Kids by Christina McGhee
Frequently described as the perfect “beginner co-parent’s guide”, this book by Christina McGhee will offer not only great co-parenting tips but also practical examples for children of all age groups.
The book covers a variety of topics for separated and divorced parents: the legalities, announcing the split to your children, guiding the children through the transition, helping them cope with having two homes, managing finances, creating a relationship with a difficult ex, and more.
In case you’re already through the early stages of the process, you might not find the whole of this book very helpful, but there are certainly some interesting things to learn.
2) Mom’s House, Dad’s House: Making Two Homes for Your Child by Isolina Ricci, Ph.D.
One of the best co-parenting books out there, Mom’s House, Dad’s House: Making Two Homes for Your Child covers a range of topics that divorced parents will find helpful: legal, emotional, financial advice, as well as valuable practical examples.
What makes this book special is its workbook-like nature. In addition to great tips, you’ll find self-tests, checklists, and other guides to help you create a stable environment for your children after your divorce, including the negotiation of the parent agreement, overcoming divorce and marriage myths, and even managing long-distance co-parenting.
3) Joint Custody with a Jerk: Raising a Child with an Uncooperative Ex by Julie A. Ross and Judy Corcoran
Co-parenting in itself isn’t easy, but it’s a whole other story if you’re doing it with an uncooperative ex who may be holding grudges, or just be overall toxic and narcissistic.
Thankfully, today we have the resources on coping with an ex whose love has quickly turned into hate - and one of the best ones out there is Joint Custody with a Jerk.
You’ll find great advice, communication technique examples that will help you minimize any unnecessary conflict with your ex, and an introduction to the “problem pyramid” to help you identify whose the problem at hand is, whose job it is to address, and how to move past it.
4) Healthy Children of Divorce in 10 Simple Steps by Shannon Rios Paulsen
All co-parents co-parent for the same reason: to provide their child with the best childhood possible. This book can help.
Writing from her personal experience growing up in a divorced family, as well as her career as a marriage and family therapist, Paulsen talks you through ten simple steps you can to ensure your divorce doesn’t negatively impact your children, including lessons on making the best choices for your children, taking actions to protect the child during this time, communication strategies to employ with your co-parent and letting go of your grudges for the sake of your child.
5) Mindful Co-Parenting: A Child-Friendly Path through Divorce by Jeremy S. Gaies and James B. Morris
While co-parents may always want the best for their children, that doesn’t mean that they actually understand what it is that their kids want or need. That’s why these two clinical psychologists have written Mindful Co-Parenting.
It is a step-by-step guide designed to help you to go through your divorce smoothly and become effective co-parents when it is finalized. First, identify whether divorce is the best option for your family, then move through the process in a child-friendly way, finalize it, create a solid co-parenting plan, and finally pick up strategies that will help address future challenges that you may run into.
Make Sure to Check Out the FamiliPay Blog
In case you’re not a book type, make sure to check out our FamiliPay blog.
We cover all things co-parenting, packed into bite-sized articles that answer the most common questions our co-parent users ask.