How to Share Parenting Responsibilities

In today's hectic world, sharing parental responsibilities has become a necessity rather than a luxury. In addition to getting the work done, involving both fathers and mothers in everyday parental responsibilities tends to increase marital satisfaction and strengthen bonds between parents and their children, according to research done at the University of Missouri in 2013. Even in cases of divorce or blended families, sharing responsibilities equitably provides a stable, secure environment for children to grow and develop.

Instructions

  1. Laying Down Rules

    • 1

      Agree on which rules are important for the family to follow. HealthyChildren.org suggests making a list of rules covering areas such as mealtimes, homework, allowances, and bedtimes and sharing these with your children so you'll all be on the same page.

    • 2

      Establish firm consequences for rule infractions so both parents can dole out consequences. When you're sharing disciplinary responsibility, neither parent comes across as the "bad guy," and there's little opportunity for your child to manipulate.

    • 3

      Compromise on areas you disagree on as parents. Negotiations should occur in private, not in front of your child. Resolving areas of disagreement before presenting new rules to your child will avoid inconsistency, miscommunication and conflict, according to HealthyChildren.org. Even if you are divorced or cannot agree on major areas such as religion or finances, articulating your beliefs to your co-parent will help you agree on matters such as what to share with your child and when these topics should be discussed.

    Who Does What

    • 4

      Delegate parental responsibilities based on personal strengths, rather than stereotypes. Sharing responsibilities means agreeing on a division of labor, rather than both parents splitting every task down the middle, notes Adam Galovan, a child-development researcher at the University of Missouri.

    • 5

      Discuss your feelings about your current parental responsibilities. Just because you are good at something doesn't necessarily mean you should be in charge of this area. Baby Center suggests both parents make a list of their current tasks and discuss each item with each other, including topics such as outlining areas you dislike and swapping items when necessary.

    • 6

      Communicate regularly to avoid competition over your child's time or affections. Even if you are divorced, you need to share information about your children regularly, such as appointment times and insurance coverage, so you are both informed decision makers.

    • 7

      Plan activities in advance to avoid anxiety, indecision and conflict. Formulate short-term plans, such as designating one parent to play with a toddler while the other prepares dinner, and long-term plans regarding areas such as who drives your child to soccer practice, what relatives you'll be spending major holidays with or who is doing the school shopping this year.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Deal With Aggressive Children in Daycare
      In a day care situation, it would be ideal if all the children were well-behaved. The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) reports that quality child care during the first five years of a childs life is essentia
    • Should Toddlers Ever Be Punished?
      Should Toddlers Ever Be Punished? Most actions that a toddler takes that might warrant punishment in an older child are things that she cannot help doing. By nature, toddlers are curious about things, explore them, and experiment with them. So before
    • Does Spanking Prepare Kids for the Real World?
      Q Crime has increased since our society began to look down on those parents who spank their kids. Children now seem to think that they can do whatever they want. They dont respect authority in the home or at school. I think we are doing more harm tha