Families Apart: 10 Keys to Successful Co-Parenting

by Melinda Blau and Melinda Blaw

Book Overview

A guide to raising children in the wake of a divorce shows readers how to communicate effectively and offers insights into the attitudes necessary to sidestep the inevitable pitfalls.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039952150X
• ISBN13: 9780399521508
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Perigee Books
• Length: 349 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

First Aid for Divorcing Parents

This is a wonderful, practical and comforting book. Chapter by chapter the author describes what children need and how divorcing parents can work together to fill these needs. This is an immensely practical and thoughtful book. There are no good guys or bad guys... just parents and children. Each chapter provides enough food for thought for a full book in itself. Buy two copies, one for you and one for your child's other parent. Follow her keys and succeed in co parenting. I have used the book as basis for presentations to parents but also found it helpful in my own co parenting.

Keeping Your Head in A Good Place During/After Divorce

I strongly recommend this book for all parents before during and after divorce. The book helped me recognize and face "ugly" feelings that I hadn't actually really acknowledged were within me. Doing so, and following the wisdom within these pages, helped me to redirect my feelings in ways that weren't destructive to my children. Though my divorce was fairly amicable, I still needed a big picture view on a regular basis. I've returned to my book several times over the years and regard it with the same respect I give an old friend. I know that sounds silly. Even when close friends face divorce, I will not part with my copy of this book, I order them one of their own! I've bought at least 10 copies since 1998...and I can honestly say every recipient has thanked me profusely and agreed they are better co-parents for having read it.

An important investment for your kids

Melinda Blau is not a family therapist or psychiatrist, she is a journalist and co-parent. The real strength of this excellent text is that, although she is a successful divorced co-parent herself, she resists the urge to preach her own views on this difficult and important topic, instead reflecting many hours of research and interviews in a wealth of real-life examples and illustrative anecdotes, providing a comforting sense that one is not the first to encounter the challenges of raising kids successfully while living apart, and giving practical and balanced advice. Essential for both parents.

Excellent reading for all divorcing parents

This book has helped us focus on what it takes for successful co-parenting. It is an excellent resource for all divorcing parents to return to when they are feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with their ex-spouse - this book will help them refocus on what is important - the happiness of the children.

Strategies to help kids and move ahead in your own life

Divorce ends a marriage, not a family. This book--which is based on divorce research of the last fifteen years and the strategies reported by successful co-parents--is the only parenting guide specfically targeted to divorced parents. Research is conclusive: continued conflict harms kids and so does the lost of a parent. This book can help you minimize both those risk factors. It contains strategies for dealing with your pain and moving ahead in your own life and for helping your children through the crisis