3 Reasons to Consider Parenting Education During Divorce
As a parent going through a divorce or separation, knowing how to best help your children through the changes going on in your family might not be so clear. Moreover, knowing how to navigate co-parenting could be even more unclear. While this may worry you, there are resources available to help parents navigate this process. For instance, apart from the support you get from your family and friends, plus your attorney, mediator, therapist, and the other legal and mental health practitioners you work with, parenting education is also an option.
Parenting education courses for divorcing or separating parents can teach you new skills which could be useful as you transition into shared parenting. While some may feel skeptical about parenting education, others will argue that it offers significant benefits and can help to improve family outcomes after divorce. Here are three reasons to consider parenting education during divorce.
You'll Learn Ways to Help Your Child Cope
A divorce or separation is an enormous change for every member of your family to face, often leaving everyone feeling distressed. For children, knowing how to cope with this situation may not come very easily, so they rely on the support they receive from their parents and other adults in their life to help move them forward. In a parenting education course, you'll learn about the different emotions your child could face during this time and how you can be there to support them in a healthy way. While you may already have a good understanding of how your child is feeling and how to make them happy, parenting education may help to open your mind to observing behavior in a new light and show you new ways to help bring structure back into your household for your children.
You'll Consider New Strategies for Shared Parenting
Going from parenting together in one household to shared parenting in two is a hard change to make. The logistics of shared parenting–not to mention the emotions involved in this transition–will have a big impact on the way you raise your children moving forward. It may not be obvious how to best begin taking on this new form of parenting. In a parenting education course, you'll learn about different matters that you will now face as co-parents which you may not have handled previously such as sharing expenses, handling a parenting time schedule, and how to best communicate and share information across households.
It May Be Required
Parenting education may not only be beneficial by teaching you ways to help your children cope and how to co-parent, but it also may be required as part of the process of your divorce or separation. Some states require parents to attend parenting education, so it will be important to understand the laws in your state surrounding divorce. There may be different options for types of classes you can take, whether you go with an online course or an in-person course. Most importantly, if parenting education is required but you do not attend, there may be consequences that could only complicate your divorce and make the situation more difficult to navigate. Every situation is different, yet it is important to understand what is required of you during this time. Speak to your attorney to find out what your options are, and if you decide to attend parenting education, discuss what the best one will be for you and your family.
As you work through your separation or divorce, parenting education could be a useful resource for your whole family. Again, speak with your attorney about what may be required of you during this process and, if parenting education is required, what your options are. You can also find information about parenting education courses and resources around the country here.