After our own experience co-parenting and our years working with children and families, we’ve seen how quickly divorce can turn two parents into adversaries—and how deeply that conflict can affect their children.

I, Andrew, remember sitting in a court-mandated three-hour parenting class and watching my neighbor spend virtually the entire time writing a poison-pen letter to his soon-to-be ex-wife. The irony wasn’t lost on me: he was there to learn how to protect his children from parental conflict while actively preparing for the next battle.

That experience stayed with me because I’ve seen this dynamic over and over. When parents are confused, hurt, or angry, it can be incredibly difficult to put their children’s needs ahead of the conflict—to protect a child’s relationship with the other parent, keep adult information where it belongs, and sometimes absorb your own pain rather than passing it on.

Sandy has spent years professionally walking alongside parents and children through these circumstances, and together we’ve gathered what we’ve learned into practical guidance for families navigating the distresses of co-parenting.

If you’re struggling with any of the complications of divorce and/or co-parenting, we created a free training to help you understand what that conflict can do to your children—and what you can do to change the pattern.