The Collaborative Co-Parent

What is The Collaborative Co-Parent? The Collaborative Co-Parent is coming. ✨ It is a mindful separation and parenting book. If you are ending or have ended your marriage or relationship, and have children, there can be a complicated road ahead. Separation often brings with it trauma, stressors and obstacles which make it difficult to see forward and into the future. Learning to effectively communicate and have positive dialogue is often the first step. By implementing a set of agreed rules around your co-parenting relationship, you are giving your children the gift of safety, security and stability following separation. ✨

Communication when co-parenting! What works best? Are you the type of parents who can easily pick up a phone - or are you in a difficult co-parenting relationship where strict boundaries need to be put in place. Apps like OurFamilyWizard are helpful when boundaries need to be implemented. They also help to keep parents accountable. What works for you? ✨

As we get underway with 2024 I thought I’d remind you to check out The Collaborative Co-Parent and download my free e-book (https://lnkd.in/gBj7khYe). It’s always also important to share with you a little about me. A passionate, contemporary family lawyer and mum of a gorgeous 3-year-old boy. With a passion for both writing and family law, I have had experience spanning across both media and law during my career so far. Myself a product of a family lawyer, I was always inspired to make a change in the world of separation and divorce. I worked in journalism during my university days, writing for various ACP titles, and then transitioned into law upon graduating. From the get go I wanted to experience family law at the coal front so I jumped into the role of Associate to a Justice of the Family Court of Australia, seeing the best and worst from that side of the bench before transitioning to private practice. I then joined my dad, an established accredited specialist family lawyer. Under my vision the firm grew from a sole practitioner practice to a modern, growing boutique firm with three offices. A finalist in the 2018 Lawyers Weekly 30 under 30 Awards, 2019 Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards as a “Rising Star of the Year”, 2022 Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards “Family Law” and 2023 Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards “Family Law” and Women in Law Awards “Partner of the Year – SME”. Through my experience working with separating families, and navigating the co-parenting world myself for the first time, I gained a passion for assisting separated families to help them “collaboratively co-parent” and work on rebuilding their family unit, albeit separated. Uncoupling did not have to equate to breaking up the family unit. I have a passion for encouraging parents to work together on growing resilient, secure children of divorce.

2024 has us continuing taking some life lessons from celebrity co-parents. This time we delve into Jennifer Garner/JLO/Ben Affleck. "Today there are so many blended families and they are an inspiration that things can work out and that old concept of the ‘evil step-mother’ is a thing of bad fairytales”. "Not only is [co-parenting] hugely beneficial for the children in the long run as there is no bad blood or awkwardness at key family events, but better for the individual as they are not holding onto resentment and can be themselves."

2024 is fast approaching. What co-parenting goals will you set? I really believe communication is everything. Try to set some new year communication resolutions to better your co-parenting relationship this coming year. Whether small or big changes - your child will benefit from improvement and healthier relationships ✨

Co-Parenting is usually the road less travelled. It is often easier not to try at all than to embark upon the unknown. But what if you could do it? Whilst the journey may be a tough one with plenty of lows but also plenty of highs - surely there are benefits in deciding to take the first step. The biggest highs are usually the joy brought to children seeing their parents working together for their benefit? Well worth the journey don’t you think? ✨ Perhaps there is a way to strive for the perfectly imperfect separation where the common goal is to effectively co-parent children for the benefit of their security, wellbeing and development. #coparentinggoals #separation #communication #coparenting

The festive season is upon us, bringing joy and happiness, but, for many single parents, a feeling of dread. The thought of kissing your kids goodbye and missing out on the opportunity of seeing them on Christmas morning is incredibly tough. But with the right mindset you can make the season fun, memorable and magical for you and your children. Being alone on Christmas is never easy but it’s important to be open to friends suggestions, reach out to your family or loved ones and otherwise treat yourself with love and self care. ✨

I love this quote from Rebecca Cox in a recent article featured in Grazia about separated parents & blended families at Christmas. The best thing you really can do for your kids is model respect for their other parent.

I continue to think that there is a lot to learn from the celebrity divorce (good AND bad obviously). But nobody seems to do it like Gwenyth Paltrow. Grazia author Rebecca Cox delved recently into the co-parenting and blended family life of Gwenyth Paltrow, Dakota Johnson & Chris Martin. Cox writes “Because when it comes to blended families, leading with love (and a healthy dose of self-awareness) is the best decision for your children. Not having the perfect family Christmas I always pictured felt so hard at first but, once I had grieved the life I thought I’d have, I found that rewriting the rule book on what Christmas ‘should’ look like was freeing.” She goes on “The secret to finding contentment as a co-parent is learning to let go of what you can’t control.” Aaron Dale, host of the co-parenting podcast Raising Boys 2 Men, says, “We can’t control how someone else acts; we can only ever control how we interact, and react to what that person is doing.” Food (or Xmas pudding perhaps) for thought… #celebrity #gwenythpaltrow #divorce #coparenting #christmas

Read my views shared with Mosman and North Sydney Living last week… “There is little doubt that separation or breakdown of a relationship brings with it grief, trauma and often anger. It all becomes a little harder when October rolls around and the shops start playing Christmas carols, decorations line the streets, and the constant reminder of Christmas Day is amongst us. Many separated families dread the idea of sharing their children over the Festive period – but it doesn’t have to be that way.”