Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
co-parent
English answer:
any adult who co-parents
Added to glossary by
Yvonne Gallagher
Nov 7, 2019 18:40
4 yrs ago
40 viewers *
English term
co-parent
English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Dear colleagues,
I have a doubt concerning the word “co–parent”. I’ve found this definition in Merriam Webster: “a person (such as a noncustodial parent or cohabiting partner) who shares parental duties with a custodial parent”, but I seem to remember that I’ve read some texts in which the word is used in a more general sense as “the other parent”, not necessarily referring to divorce o separation…
What do you think?
Thank you very much!
****************
Showing up means what it sounds like. It means being there for your kids. It means being physically present, as well as providing a quality of presence. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to read all the parenting bestsellers, or sign your kids up for all the right enrichment activities. You don’t have to have ** a committed co-parent **. Just show up.
I have a doubt concerning the word “co–parent”. I’ve found this definition in Merriam Webster: “a person (such as a noncustodial parent or cohabiting partner) who shares parental duties with a custodial parent”, but I seem to remember that I’ve read some texts in which the word is used in a more general sense as “the other parent”, not necessarily referring to divorce o separation…
What do you think?
Thank you very much!
****************
Showing up means what it sounds like. It means being there for your kids. It means being physically present, as well as providing a quality of presence. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to read all the parenting bestsellers, or sign your kids up for all the right enrichment activities. You don’t have to have ** a committed co-parent **. Just show up.
Responses
| 5 +2 | any adult who co-parents |
Yvonne Gallagher
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| 5 +4 | anyone who shares parenting duties |
Laura Hafner
|
Change log
Nov 13, 2019 12:32: Yvonne Gallagher Created KOG entry
Responses
+2
3 hrs
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
659
Selected
any adult who co-parents
I'll go 100% too since that seems to be becoming the default position in Kudoz these days!
"co-parenting" is NOT the same as "shared parenting" so I thought I'd point you to links so you can see the differences as the Webster definition seems to be rather narrowly defined.
Here is another definition that points to the word being used quite often where there is 1 biological and 1 non-biological parent in same-sex adoptions
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/co-paren...
and see here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coparenting
Coparents may include a variety of configurations, including a mother and a father, two mothers, two fathers, a parent with an adult sibling or grandparent, or a parent and another adult relative. The coparent relationship differs from an intimate relationship between adults in that it focuses solely on the child
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_parenting
shared parenting is based on the child's best interest of having close contact with both parents in their daily life
Both parents also get child-free time to work or play without having to hire a baby sitter, which a sole custodial parent must do. Moreover, both parents get the same opportunity for career development and advancement
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Note added at 5 days (2019-11-13 12:32:44 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped
"co-parenting" is NOT the same as "shared parenting" so I thought I'd point you to links so you can see the differences as the Webster definition seems to be rather narrowly defined.
Here is another definition that points to the word being used quite often where there is 1 biological and 1 non-biological parent in same-sex adoptions
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/co-paren...
and see here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coparenting
Coparents may include a variety of configurations, including a mother and a father, two mothers, two fathers, a parent with an adult sibling or grandparent, or a parent and another adult relative. The coparent relationship differs from an intimate relationship between adults in that it focuses solely on the child
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_parenting
shared parenting is based on the child's best interest of having close contact with both parents in their daily life
Both parents also get child-free time to work or play without having to hire a baby sitter, which a sole custodial parent must do. Moreover, both parents get the same opportunity for career development and advancement
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 days (2019-11-13 12:32:44 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Glad to have helped
Note from asker:
| Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your contribution! The links you quoted are really interesting! |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your really useful links! I also wish to thank all other contributors!"
+4
11 mins
Laura Hafner
Canada
Canada
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Canada
Crypto | Marketing | Web3
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
, Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian)
Works in: Portuguese to English, English to Portuguese, English, and 1 more.
anyone who shares parenting duties
I've read a LOT of parenting materials in the past few years (relatively new mom here) and I can definitely say "co-parenting" also refers to "typical", happily married couples, not just the noncustodial parent or other types of guardians.
Note from asker:
| Thank you so much, Laura! I also had that feeling, but I wanted to be sure after reading some dictionary definitions!! |
| Dear Laura, although I am going to select Yvonne's answer, because of some further links she added and also because we unfortunately can choose only one answer, I wish to thank you very much, too, because you helped me understand that the definition I had found was not completely correct. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Elias Marios Kounas
31 mins
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Thank you, Ilias!
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| agree |
ael
7 hrs
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Thank you, ael!
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| agree |
Marco Belcastro Bara
7 hrs
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Thank you, Marco!
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| neutral |
Yvonne Gallagher
: there's a difference between shared and co-parenting//You need to back up 100% with something stronger than "I've read a LOT of parenting materials". //Right, but Asker needs decent definition of co-parenting
16 hrs
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The asker wanted to know if co-parenting could be used to refer to "the other parent" who also has custodial duties. I intended only to answer "yes" to that question, nothing more. I'm sorry for the confusion.
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| agree |
María G. Lagartera
3 days 15 hrs
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Thank you, María!
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