A guide for blended families, co-parents, and stepparents.
For over five years now I’ve been co-parenting with my ex. Does that make me an expert? No. But I am experienced. For those of you who have been here a while, you know that my co-parenting relationship wasn’t always as amicable as it is today. I don’t know if we’ve ever been considered “high-conflict,” …
How to Communicate Effectively With Your Co-Parent (and Avoid Conflict!) Read More »
Father’s Day is around the corner and a lot of co-parents are asking, should I get my ex a gift from the kids? I’m sharing my experience on this topic today, and there’s going to be a challenge at the end of the post, so don’t miss out! If you have kids together and your …
Should You Buy a Gift for Your Ex? (Birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc) Read More »
Let me start by stating that I fully understand if you are co-parenting with a partner that does not compromise with you. Trust me when I say that my co-parenting situation with my ex-husband has not always been cooperative. It’s taken a lot of effort and adaptation on both of our parts to get to the cooperation …
Why You Need Flexible Schedules in a 50/50 Co-Parenting Plan Read More »
I tend to make a pretty big deal out of birthday parties. I don’t ever go “over the top”–except maybe my first-born child’s first birthday when I had a petting zoo come to our house. He ended up crying any time an animal came near him. We do like to try to make birthdays in …
Better Co-Parenting: Throwing Birthday Parties Together Read More »
A few weeks ago, I volunteered for my son’s school field trip. When I arrived, I stood in a group of several other parent volunteers. We talked as we waited for the bus to arrive with the children, and we quickly discovered that all of us were divorced. The discussion quickly turned to what seems to …
Better Co-Parenting: Children’s Belongings After Divorce Read More »
We don’t see each other often, and we don’t speak to each other much. We wave to each other through the car window as I’m hugging the boys and saying goodbye. Or we say a polite, “Hi, how are you?” as I’m kissing their cheeks while they buckle their seat belts in the backseat of …
When my ex and I first separated in 2014, it was honestly a mess. We were both hurting, resentful of each other, and angry with ourselves. We were also uneducated when it came to co-parenting. We didn’t want to be together, yet our children needed to maintain their relationships with both of us. How could …