Co-Parenting Through Separation and Divorce: Putting Your Children First

Child custody mediator Blackstone and pediatrician Hill discuss the challenges of, and solutions for, parenting while going through divorce in this well-organized, informative guide. The authors—who share their own tales of divorce (not from each other) in the introduction—cover a great deal of material, including securing legal and therapeutic support, working out custody arrangements and childcare schedules, and remarrying and forming new families. The book uses two major themes, “putting your child first” and “transition and development” for both parent and child, to frame challenges big and small, from addressing the basic question of “how do we tell the kids?” (with advice for talking to different ages) to practical questions—for instance, when the split results in kids being moved to a new house, helping them adjust to an unfamiliar bedroom. They stress a positive, proactive attitude with their chapter titles (“How Do I Begin?”) and sampling of inspirational quotes, provide examples with anonymous testimonies from Blackstone’s patients, and sensitively address tough topics, such as divorces involving abusive partners. This uplifting, info-crammed book will be a useful road map for parents in navigating the path to a divorce that is minimally disruptive for their kids. (June)