About The Polaris Parenting Project
Parenting is one of the most meaningful journeys we take — and at times, one of the most overwhelming. When families are navigating transitions, shared parenting, or two-home arrangements, the mix of information, opinions, and emotion can make an already challenging situation feel even harder.
The Polaris Parenting Project was created to offer something different:
Guidance that’s clear, research-informed, and practical — written in calm, plain language and centered on the well-being of children.
Polaris Parenting Project
When I first encountered the family court system, I knew I needed legal help, but I had no idea how much I was going to need to learn in order to navigate the process. I did not understand how much custody procedures could vary from state to state, or even that it was important to work with a lawyer familiar with the specific county where a case was filed. I had no idea what a parenting plan was, what a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity meant, or how many parts of the process relied on terminology and procedures I had never encountered before.
Over time, I recognized that I needed to understand a much broader scope of information. That included how parenting plans functioned in practice, how courts evaluate the best interests of the child, and what peer-reviewed research said about child adjustment, developmental outcomes, and long-term recommendations. It also meant understanding how procedural timelines, financial disclosures, court filings, and legal standards could shape the direction of a case.
With extensive research, I eventually realized the information did exist, but it was fragmented across statutes, court websites, attorney consultations, research papers, and disconnected online resources. Organizing it into something coherent became a years-long process and eventually the foundation for Polaris itself.
After custody decisions were reached in my own case, friends and other parents began reaching out with questions because they were having trouble finding information about the processes involved in their own cases. Those experiences ultimately became the foundation for Polaris Parenting Project.
Today, Polaris is organized as a structured custody and co-parenting reference system designed to help parents better understand the legal framework, procedural realities, terminology, research, and practical structures surrounding custody-related issues. The project includes state-specific custody information, parenting plan guidance, court process explanations, research resources, and practical organizational tools intended to make an often fragmented system easier to navigate.
The goal is to help parents enter conversations with legal professionals with greater context, organization, and understanding while making one of the more difficult processes many families will ever face a little easier to navigate alone.
What This Site Provides
The Polaris Parenting Project brings together essential resources for parents:
Research Library
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Summaries of the most relevant and important studies in child development, attachment, transitions, and co-parenting.
State-by-State Parenting & Custody Guides
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Straightforward, plain-language explanations of parenting laws, best-interest factors, and parental responsibilities.
Parenting Tools & Practical Support
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Templates, scripts, reintegration guidelines, communication tools, and evidence-based practices designed to bring more stability to two-home families.
A Balanced, Child-Centered Approach
Our work is guided by one consistent principle:
Children do best when parents have clear information and a stable plan.
Our Mission
To equip parents with clear, practical, research-informed guidance and tools that reduce conflict, encourage cooperation, and support decisions grounded in what children truly need.
Our Vision
A clearer path for parents, where:
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Evidence-based information is easy to find and understand
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Parents feel informed and confident, not overwhelmed or unsure
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Children benefit from stable routines and meaningful connections in both homes
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Families have direction during some of the most challenging moments of co-parenting
Polaris exists to provide that clarity — one understandable step at a time.
The hope in creating The Polaris Parenting Project is to help make a difficult process easier. Whether you’re building a parenting plan, learning about your state’s laws, or looking for guidance on communication and co-parenting, the goal is to give you clear, research-informed tools that help you move forward confidently. Every family deserves a stable foundation—and every parent deserves support as they create it.