Coping strategies for sharing custody of children

Parenting is difficult enough when both individuals are married and present to raise their child. This makes creating a peaceful environment for kids after a divorce even harder, as tension between the former couple can end up hurting the development of the child.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Judy Corcoran, co-author of a book titled "Joint Custody with a Jerk" noted that sustaining a peaceful environment for children is essential, despite how difficult it might be for both parents.

"You actually hate the person's guts by this time," Corcoran told the newspaper. "So that's what we teach, how to communicate with this person."

Though Judy Corcoran is a divorcee and a single parent, she noted that this "jerk" can be both a female or male, as both sexes can be responsible for creating this negative environment for a child.

Corcoran met the co-author Julia A. Ross at Parenting Horizons, an organization that helps divorced adults reconcile to the point where they can still be effective parents and have a positive impact on their child, according to the organization's website.