What Happens When Co-Parents Can’t Agree?

There are situations in which co-parents can’t seem to find common ground regarding the decisions that they make for their children. An example could be when one parent wants the child to grow up in a certain religion and the other does not, for instance, or when one parent wants the child to get vaccinated and the other does not.

What becomes very important in the situation is who has legal custody and the power to make these choices. Even when physical custody has been split between both parents, legal custody may not be. The parent with legal custody can make the decision.

But what if both parents share custody?

Unfortunately, there are situations in which both parents have legal custody and still cannot agree on how to make these decisions. In a situation like that, one parent should never make a decision that might violate their co-parent’s rights. They have to work together and come to a joint decision. They need to put the child first.

If they cannot find such a solution or a compromise on their own, then the couple has to go to court and they will explain the situation to the judge. The judge can make a ruling and issue a court order that has to be followed.

But it is very important for the parents to have this court order in hand before they take any action that goes against their co-parent’s wishes. They cannot go behind the other parent’s back without any sort of guidance from the court.

Working through complicated situations

You can see just how complex co-parenting is, so make sure you always know about your rights and legal options.