From the Book: Divorce Amicably
This is a chapter summary from Chapter 6 of  Divorce Amicably, a guide to navigating separation with dignity and cooperation.
Chapter 25 Author: Michael Cohen
I strive to help couples mediate and find an amicable path through their divorce so they can retain and enhance their ability to successfully co-parent their children, while creating healthy outcomes for themselves. Having earned my CPA, I understand and can guide the financial decisions that are critical in a divorce process. Â I am divorced myself and I have seen first-hand the impact of that process on my own children. Â I lead with my heart and I am focused on removing the baggage that normally accompanies divorce, and instead helping the couple to divorce in a healthier manner with better outcomes in less time and at far less expense.
Chapter 25: Types of Co-Parenting
Chapter 25's Framework for Post-Divorce Parenting Success
Your divorce ends your marriage, but it doesn't end your role as parents—and how you handle this ongoing relationship determines your children's emotional future. In this powerful chapter, divorce mediator and divorced father Michael Cohen reveals the three distinct parenting approaches that emerge after divorce: parallel parenting, counter-parenting, and true co-parenting. Drawing from both professional experience and personal journey, he demonstrates how children instantly recognize and exploit the gaps between divorced parents, using those spaces to develop unhealthy habits, poor academic performance, and relationship problems.
Cohen provides a candid assessment of each parenting style's impact on children's development, revealing why parallel parenting—where parents operate independently without coordination—often seems easier but causes lasting damage. He exposes the toxic pattern of counter-parenting, where one parent deliberately undermines the other, creating loyalty conflicts and emotional instability. Most importantly, he offers a practical roadmap for achieving healthy co-parenting, including specific communication strategies, boundary-setting techniques, and the "always say yes" philosophy that transforms hostile ex-spouses into collaborative partners focused on their children's wellbeing.
Four Crucial Co-Parenting Insights from Chapter 25
Who Needs Chapter 25's Co-Parenting Guidance
This chapter is essential for any divorced or divorcing parent struggling to communicate with their ex about children, those worried their conflict is damaging their kids, or parents who recognize they're parallel parenting but don't know how to transition to true collaboration. It's crucial reading for those experiencing counter-parenting tactics from their ex or anyone who finds themselves criticizing the other parent in front of children.
Perfect for parents who want to minimize divorce's impact on their children but don't know where to start, those seeking practical strategies for high-conflict situations, and anyone who needs permission to "take the high road" for their children's sake. Whether you're newly divorced or years into parallel parenting patterns, Cohen's framework provides the tools to transform your co-parenting relationship—and your children's future.
Get your copy of "Divorce Amicably" today and learn how to transition from hostile ex-spouses to healthy co-parents—because your children deserve parents who work together for them, even from separate homes.
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