In clear, inviting prose, Smolarski breaks down how different attachment styles—ambivalent, avoidant, and secure—affect the way individuals parent, love, and handle their emotions, and how understanding these can shape a healthy co-parenting partnership committed to a child or children’s needs. "Co-parents create certainty in the midst of change by committing to show up and be present for your child," Smolarski writes. Personal anecdotes, hard-won experience, and illuminating research demonstrate this, while the author provides tips, advice, and original tools like the six Cs of cooperative co-parenting (commitment, collaboration, clarity, and more) to help readers strengthen relationships and provide stability, safety, and clarity.
Smolarski also answers potential questions that may arise on the co-parenting journey at the end of each chapter. Touching smartly on the evolution of family foundations, Smolarski’s book is a valuable resource that faces all the sadness, fear, shame and anger that "can manifest" when household and family dynamics change and offers support and ways to move forward, such as making a clean romantic break and cooperating to become the "supporting base” for children.
Takeaway: Heartening, original guide for co-parents creating stability for children.
Comparable Titles: Mashonda Tifrere's Blend, Christina McGhee's Parenting Apart.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A