QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT CHILDREN'S WORDS SPOKEN OUT OF ANGER

A  note I received from a mom devastated by the news that her child said he wanted to live with his dad:

I am also very concerned that my son now wants to live with his dad. He hasn’t been very nice to me .......His dad won’t talk to me and I have given up trying. That would change everything. Each day just seems to be getting worse for me. 

We discuss this hurtful situation in Module 1 of the Enlightened CoParenting Course.

Here is an excerpt from the course:

When your child throws a temper tantrum, becomes angry, and blames you for ruining their life don’t take their behavior personally.

Realize that in many instances when children blame one parent or another for the divorce occurring their blaming is a way of coping and a defense against feeling overwhelmed by the many changes they are experiencing in the course of a short period.  It is often not meant against the parent personally.

It is not easy to refr...

Imagine your child getting double the recommended dose of a vaccine, waiting alone outside of the school gymnasium because their parent did not show up, or missing the field trip to the Musical Instrument Museum because their permission slip was not returned. Coparenting is sometimes logistically challenging, yet certain parenting practices not only make coparenting easier for you, they make being coparented  easier for your child.

This tip will seem ridiculously obvious and yet, trust me, as a psychologist, I have seen  that it so often is not practiced by coparents.

Share with your coparent all information about your children that you would want shared with you.

Yes, that's it! This is smart and simple guidance that makes so much sense (even if you deplore your ex)!  It also supports your child's continuing safety.

An easy 2 minute email or 47 second text will prevent the logistical nightmares, inconveniences, and broken little hearts you are knocking yourself out in other wa...