PURPOSE

COOPERATIVE PARENTING FOR

DIVIDED FAMILIES

619 N. Murtland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
24 - HOUR HOTLINE
(412) 404-8514

E-mail: coparenting@yahoo.com

PURPOSE:

When the families break down or when children are born into single family homes the court steps in. When the family has to go through the family division court system, their lawyers and the court have the power NOT to make them adversaries. However, this is not the case, the battle begins and ends up hurting the children. Very seldom do they think what is really best for the child. They center on their own pain and revenge. The officers of the court have a duty to try to bring about a peaceful resolution so that all can live with in harmony. I have heard attorneys' claim that court appointed mediators are part of this adversarial process and keep the snowball rolling. Family division is a billion-dollar industry and as long as there is a man, woman, and child, family division and all involved will always be employed and making money off someone else's misery.

Divorce has been explained as a process in which you disassemble your life piece by piece; when you lose a partner along with all the dreams and plans you made together, and also lose your identity as part of a couple and a family. Now you must both let go of the dream, let go of the anger, and work through the legal process.

At this time it becomes extremely important to separate marital issues from parental issues in order to establish a cooperative, non-hostile relationship with each other for the sake of the children. Both parents contributed and should continue to remain a source of positive support in their lives. The focus must remain on the children's needs and how to lessen the effects of divorce on their continued development. If the father and mother fail to treat each other respectfully and honestly and to factor their children into this new equation, then everyone suffers and the children will see this change as a threat to their security and fundamental parent love.

CPDF is a non-profit, community based support group that provides a catalyst for positive change in encouraging healthy parent child relationships when the nuclear family dissolves.

We advocate reorganization to create a holistic binuclear family where two separate homes can exist harmoniously and the children can love both parents even if the parents no longer love each other.
We educate parents on how to minimize stress during this transition and to maximize the positive experiences of child sharing.
We facilitate parent partnerships and guide the father and mother in negotiating a Co-Parenting plan

CPDF program is two-fold:

1. To eliminate a lot of the confusion with the legal process and intimidation by the court system by providing information about a parent's rights and responsibilities.

Address conflict resolution by sharing anger management, communication and negotiation skills
Help formulate the actual parenting plan of shared time, allowing for flexibility and child issues
Draft a fair plan of financial child support within updated state guidelines
Offer a forum to discuss reasonable property distribution agreements

2. To provide continued assistance and offer on-going support and opportunities for involvement with positive parenting issues

Weekly parenting sessions
One-on-one assistance is available as needed
Phone counsel or referral to other programs when special help is needed dealing with physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, drugs, or alcohol problems that can destroy family life before or after a separation
Active participation in legislation reform for all family issues
Presentation of programs to schools, universities, and concerned groups.

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