In today’s episode of Children First Family Law, Krista welcomes Dr. Marsha Kline Pruett, a clinical psychologist, researcher, and nationally recognized authority on child development, co-parenting, and father involvement. Together, they explore what healthy post-divorce fathering looks like and what professionals and parents can do to foster those relationships.

Dr. Pruett draws on decades of experience working with families in the U.S. and internationally, including groundbreaking work with the California Office of Child Abuse Prevention and long-term studies on parenting partnerships. She discusses how early father involvement impacts long-term child development and why gendered parenting roles still influence family law decisions.

This episode also explores the pitfalls of rigid parenting plans, the pressure of 50/50 custody expectations, and how children process family dynamics differently than adults often assume. Dr. Pruett explains how to build trust between co-parents, why gatekeeping harms both children and relationships, and what attorneys and therapists should stop doing if they genuinely want to serve families well.

This episode challenges assumptions about post-divorce parenting and offers a path forward where fathers stay connected, kids feel secure, and co-parents build trust, one interaction at a time.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Early father involvement as a foundation for long-term connection
• Gatekeeping and how it limits father-child relationships post-divorce
• Flexible parenting plans that reflect a child’s real-world needs
• Emotional safety over rigid time-sharing structures
• One-on-one time is more impactful than group settings
• Building co-parenting trust through consistency and accountability
• Harmful professional dynamics when attorneys mirror client conflict
• Benefits of parallel parenting when co-parenting isn’t possible
• Starting fresh, no matter how long it’s been
• Supporting fathers without undermining maternal relationships

Resources from this Episode

marshapruett.com

Book: Partnership Parenting: How Men and Women Parent Differently-Why It Helps Your Kids and Can Strengthen Your Marriage: www.amazon.com/Partnership-Parenting-Differently-Why-Strengthen-Marriage/dp/0738213268

Book: Your Divorce Advisor: www.amazon.com/Your-Divorce-Advisor-Psychologist-Emotional/dp/0684870681

www.childrenfirstfamilylaw.com

All states have different laws; be sure you are checking out your state laws specifically surrounding divorce. Krista is a licensed attorney in Colorado and Wyoming but is not providing through this podcast legal advice. Please be sure to seek independent legal counsel in your area for your specific situation.

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Episode Credits

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