What is “Platonic Parenting” and why might it be the best solution for your child(ren)?

Platonic parenting is when two or more adults decide to raise a child without necessarily being romantically involved. Platonic parenting can help divorced and or separated parents who, for economic and or other reasons, wish to remain “platonic parents” who may even still share a residence; and can also arise when two people agree to co-parent without ever being in a romantic relationship. In either situation, platonic parenting requires that the co-parents work as a team, sharing all responsibilities and rights of and concerning “their” child(ren), but without having an ongoing marital and/or dating relationship with one another.

Why is Platonic Parenting Trending?

Platonic parenting is “trending” because more and more young people have chosen to co-parent outside the confines of the traditional family; adults are starting families without being romantically involved because they want to remain single, are in non-traditional romantic relationships with same-sex partners and/or with even more than one partner, wish to coparent with one of their best friends that they’ve known for many years, and/or wish to coparent with someone they’ve never met other than online and/or through some other vetting process. Parents can accordingly choose to co-parent with another individual just because of their qualifications as a co-parent for their child(ren), and not because of any biological and/or romantic connection.

A Coparent Rather Than Just A “Sperm Donor”

Platonic parenting accordingly permits single women who are not romantically involved with someone to look for a co-parent rather than just a sperm donor to facilitate starting her family. This way, from the start, the child will have a “father” rather than just an unknown sperm donor. This concept envisions that the baby born through fertility treatments will be raised platonically; with the “platonic parents” either living together and/or close to one another. Same-sex couples can also presumably utilize the concept of platonic parenting to partner with another individual and/or another couple to raise (a) child(ren) together.

While the search for a potential “platonic parent” is complicated and may take many years to accomplish, once two or more “platonic parents” decide to co-parent, the parties must address their respective roles and responsibilities as co-parents in the context of a Platonic Parenting Agreement. These are important life-long agreements. Potential platonic parents should accordingly consult with attorneys either here at D&M or elsewhere before entering into any written agreement addressing the rights and responsibilities of a “platonic parent.”