Mindful Co-Parenting

A Child-Friendly Path through Divorce

By: Jeremy S. Gaies Psy.D., James B. Morris Jr. Ph.D.

Narrated by: Jeremy S. Gaies, James B. Morris Jr.

Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Being good parents is hard even when you're happily married, but for separated or divorced couples, parenting can be particularly daunting. There is hope. Mindful Co-Parenting provides divorced parents a practical way through the process that protects their children. In this compact, step-by-step guide, written in a supportive yet direct style, clinical psychologists Jeremy S. Gaies, Psy.D., and James B. Morris Jr., PhD, identify what matters most to kids and describe the importance of parents being mindful of their children's needs and wants.

Starting with the question of whether or not divorce is the best option for your family, the book walks you through the process, from choosing the most child-friendly divorce proceedings, to navigating co-parenting after the papers are signed, to handling the future challenges of step parenting and other issues that may arise. By simply paying attention and planning ahead, you and your ex can reduce the potential negative effects of divorce on your family. Learn how to create a comprehensive parenting plan that can begin to establish a new norm for the benefit of your family's new future.

©2014 Gaies, Psy.D., Jeremy S. and James B. Morris, Jr., Ph.D. (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Excellent and Comprehensive Advice

This book is a very nice overview of the options and adversities encountered by parents who are getting a divorce. The pros and cons of broad issues are discussed, such as what 'type' of divorce to get, whether its through mediation without lawyers or in a "collaborative divorce" that uses a settlement-minded team of professionals. Also every sub-issue is covered, such as (nearly) every possible way you could structure a time-sharing agreement. Best part might be the modern research on the effects of divorce on children (Chapter 5). The central point of the book is very useful to divorcing parents: there are many options available if you want to prioritize the well-being of your children above anything else.

This is why a review that focuses on the effects of this advice on legal leveraging is missing the point -- in this book you get advice on how to protect your children from the harmful effects of divorce. You won't get an analysis of the "legal benefits" of one approach versus another. This advice is for the reader who understands that these are pyrrhic victories, as even if you "win" in court, the battle itself often leaves everyone worse off in the long run (except the lawyers who will have all your money lol).

Great for handling hard situations.

Would you consider the audio edition of Mindful Co-Parenting to be better than the print version?

I loved being able to listen to the book on my long commute to work and home. Very helpful and great to hear the things my ex and I are doing is on the right path.

What did you like best about this story?

Ways to better this relationship and be more productive with our separated family.

Comprehensive and extremely helpful

As a licensed mental health counselor who specializes in helping people through the divorce process, I found this book to be an excellent guide for parents facing and navigating divorce. I plan on recommending this book to all my clients as it gives an extensive and thoughtful presentation to all the possible issues a parent may face, that they should consider, and therefore can help them to adequately prepare for what lies ahead!

Important information for people with children considering or going through a divorce

Jeremy and James very clearly define what parents should focus on as they navigate the divorce process with children. The book is very easy to understand and I found the authors’ voices very pleasant. Wish I had read this book months ago.

Too academic

The first section on separation is terrible advice. If you move out of the marital home, even if you have good intentions, you've now changed the status quo to the benefit of the spouse who remains. Attorneys will tell you the same thing. Also, with 90% of separated couples progressing to divorce, it's simply not pragmatic advice. It's like it was written for an academic audience, not for everyday parents.