Parenting Coordination

Divorce can be hard on children. While parents have gone through the steps of grief at losing their relationship and creating a new home for themselves, it is their children who usually go back and forth – sometimes every few days – between each parent’s home. Many times, parents feel that the children need to see each parent frequently, but sometimes the constant state of motion causes a child to feel like he/she has no “home base,” and no time to relax. Also, as children get older and are more focused on friends, the parent who does not live near those friends, or is hesitant to permit the child to create social opportunities during his or her limited parenting time may also find that the child does not want to come for parenting time. Children continue to love both parents in each scenario but may express reluctance to participate in parenting time. While this hesitation can sometimes be expressed quite clearly, in other cases, it may come out as a child saying he or she has a stomachache, feels nervous, or starts crying. What is a parent to do when faced with a hesitating child?

Frequently, the Parenting Coordinators (“PCs”) of Wanzer Edwards are asked to help parents participating in the parenting coordination process to enforce court orders, or to punish the other parent for failing to follow the order. While we sympathize with parents in those situations who may be at their wits-end, a PC does not have the authority to enforce a court order.

If you are or have been involved in litigation with a co-parent, you may have considered whether to use the services of a Guardian Ad Litem or Parenting Coordinator.  Most likely these roles are new to you, and it can sometimes be hard to tell what the difference is between them.  If you feel like you need some help with parenting-related questions or tasks, which professional do you need?