If you’re a co-parent, you may have experienced the ‘they just got back from Dad’s / Mom’s house’ funk that routinely occurs when your child returns to your house after visiting their other parent. What is this odd transition phase? And what can parents do to assist their children with their parenting time transitions?I first experienced this phenomenon when my son was very young, but as he’s...
It’s inevitable. Regardless of how well you’ve explained your divorce or separation to your child, there comes a day when your child looks up at you and asks you point-blank if you still love their other parent. What prompts this question in your little? And what is the best way to address it?
Admittedly for most parents, this question can bring up stress from past divorce or separation...
Co-parenting is never easy. For most parents, the very idea of having to share ‘your baby’ with another immediately evokes a biological sense of loss that just can’t be soothed. And for those in high-conflict coparenting situations who are forced to coparent with an ineffective or abusive coparent, the hardship can be overwhelming. After 10 years of coparenting with a jerk, here are the top 3...
Today I ran across this lovely Stepparents' Oath that was very touching and, of course prompted me to think about the issue of dealing with a stepparent when Co-Parenting. For many parents in Co-Parenting situations, having a peaceful acceptance of a new stepparent can prove extremely difficult and can test the patience of even the most 'enlightened' of parents. For me, this was one of the hardest...
"The judge came to a decision. Your parenting time will begin Fridays after school and end before school on Monday mornings."My heart sank. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. Oh my god. I was the weekend parent. Of my own child. That wasn't enough. Not enough time to raise my child. Not enough time to enjoy watching him grow up. Nothing could fill the void that I felt. I had lost my boy. My...
