Co-parent: definition

Over the last few years, a different form of household has been added to the traditional family structure that we are used to seeing. With the concept of co-parenting, each co-parent, whether in a couple, single or homosexual, has the opportunity to have a baby without having to live permanently with the baby or the other parent. This approach is the basis for co-parenting, but in reality it is more complex and tolerant. Before we discuss its many characteristics, let’s first try to define it through its many advantages.

What is a co-parent?

The traditional co-parents

The co-parenthood we are used to seeing involves two divorced parents who share custody of their child. This situation is translated into a week spent with the father, another with the mother or every other weekend at one of the two homes, depending on the organization that has been established.

Co-parents in their new form

Based on the same principles, the concept of co-parenting can refer to two people who agree to raise a baby together and provide him with all the love he needs. Co-parents are biological parents united by the desire to have and care for their child in the same way as a “normal parent”, but without having to be in love with each other. It may be a simple acquaintance, a childhood friend, but in most cases, they meet on the Internet and carry out their project together.

Being a co-parent has the benefit of only taking care of a child at 50% and being able to share all the costs related to his or her education and daily life. All obligations and responsibilities are defined in advance, before engaging in this important role. The latter can be particularly difficult if both parties are unable to agree and assume their respective roles. Serious consideration should be given to any possible problems before embarking on this project.

Who can become a co-parent?

Homosexual co-parents

In addition to the various forms of co-parenting, any adult in his/her reproductive years can become a co-parent if he/she so desires. In addition, homosexuals are the first ones to be more inclined to co-parenting. In this kind of family, there are two (single co-parents) or four (co-parents in a couple) co-parents. These are two homosexual couples, lesbians and gays, who decide to conceive a child in order to love and raise him/her. Each couple keeps their personal lives private while assuming their role as parents.

By means of natural, artificial or other methods of insemination, one of the two spouses is involved in the procreation process and waits for the birth of the baby to share custody and obligations. The biological co-parents will act as the baby’s legal parents, while their partners will be social co-parents.

Heterosexual co-parents

After same-sex families, adults of opposite sexual orientation are also entitled to this particular form of family. At certain ages, people may feel the need to become fathers or mothers and decide to opt for co-parenting.

In this case, heterosexual co-parents are single and have no commitments. Thanks to their desire to have a child and to partially care for it, they look for ways to take responsibility as parents, without having to live under the same roof or be involved in a love relationship.

Mixed co-parents

Mixed co-parenting refers to two adults, one homosexual and the other heterosexual, who care for their child together without living in the same house or being in love. In most cases, they are single and want to have a baby. Co-parenthood remains the same, except that each co-parent’s sexual orientation is different. In this relationship, everyone has a life of their own, but take care of the child as stipulated in the contract.

Why become a co-parent?

Inaccessibility to alternative means

Mixed or same-sex co-parenting, the limited access to other alternatives encourages co-parents to choose this approach. Since medically assisted procreation is restricted to married couples with a diagnosed fertility problem, lesbian couples have no choice but to proceed through co-parenting. Gay couples, on the other hand, see their dream of procreation vanish as a result of the ban on gestational surrogacy in their country. Going to another country remains a solution, but it is still essential to obtain the necessary means to carry out the whole act.

Expectation and the incidences of life

In some cases, prospective parents may begin a legal adoption process, but discrimination during the process encourages them to look for another solution. If a same-sex couple succeeds in adopting a child, then this case only describes the difficulties encountered during the validation process. In addition to the waiting time, these obstacles discourage future adopters from making a decision. The advantage of caring for your child in pairs, even if you are single, is what attracts future co-parents to choose this path. However, the best interests of the child remain the priority in a co-parenting relationship.

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