Category: Co-Parenting

It’s tough being a single parent.   And in addition to sometimes feeling draining and overwhelming, it can feel “unfair” –  like our parenting responsibilities are stealing precious time and energy from us that we’d  prefer to spend on well…ourselves.  You know – our careers, our social lives, our dating/love life, etc.  “I didn’t sign up to be a […]

It happened last weekend.   My eight-year-old son asked if he could bike over to his friend’s place two blocks away. Right away I said no.   What if they got hit by a car?  What if some predator chased them down the residential streets?  I wanted him within eye/ear sight.  Just in case. But when I opened […]

Written by blended family expert Shirley Cress Dudley. 1- Keep contact to a minimum. One phone call a day is excessive, several text messages a day is extremely excessive. If you have a subject related to the kids, speak briefly and clearly about your expectations. Emails are better than phone calls if your issue is […]

I was at home working when my phone rang – my ex-husband’s number popped up.  Thinking it was my children, I quickly answered. Instead it was my ex. I heard, “We’ve had a bit of an accident.  We’re on our way to get stitches.” “Who’s hurt?”  I asked heart racing. “Janet.”  (My four-year-old daughter)  “She cut open her […]

Studies have shown that it’s the ongoing hostilities between divorcing parents that really emotionally damage and traumatize children.   So how do you protect your children’s emotional well-being if divorce matters are in the Red Zone, the two of you aren’t speaking, and you can’t even stand being in the same building as him/her? You may ‘know’ you should smile and talk civilly and put […]

This past week, a divorcing girlfriend told me about ’collaborative software’, something her divorce mediator had recommended. Her and her ex’s parenting schedules are hectic and becoming a source of contention because of miscommunication. Moreover, she’s at the point where she really doesn’t want to see his face or talk to him if she doesn’t […]

Her ex was at her house doing pick up of their kids the past weekend when it happened. She and her three kids were over at the school yard finishing a quick game of soccer in the snow. Suddenly, her eldest son, now eight, tripped her daughter by accident. “Kyle,” she said to him, “You have to avoid […]

Does this scenario rings any bells? Sue is the primary caregiver of her two children.  Her ex, Brian, is a part-time dad who pays child support and takes the kids every second weekend and one evening/week.  When they first got separated, Brian was very concerned about his limited access to the kids; he wanted them […]