Tried & True Tips & Tricks on Co-Parenting After Divorce

Hey y'all happy to 'see' you, virtually! 💻Today's post is another video blog 🎥 (I know, fun, right?!)--about co-parenting. 💔 Is it an impossible task or barely survivable chaos? My ex and I collaborated a bit. Not really, he gave three points--two of which I already had and one was just a jab my direction. 👊 But whatever--WE came up with a great list for y'all co-parents: 📋

1. Don't use the kids as weapons against each other. 🔪 This isn't good in a relationship and is certainly isn't good after the relationship ends. Bottom line? The kids suffer--not your ex. 
2. Be flexible. Even if it's the 638495th time he's asking for you to trade days 🥴 so he can go out with his new girlfriend, 💃 it might be you next time that wants a trade to go on date night 😍 with your sexy new husband. 😈 Even if not, if you can, show some grace by being flexible.
3. Use a shared calendar. 📆 We started doing this about a year ago and it's been a life saver. Let me tell you...before the shared calendar we would talk maybe 30 times about the same Friday children schedule. 🤨 I was beginning to think it was a conspiracy. So not only does a calendar cut down on the conversations 📣 but it obvi cuts down on the confusion ❓if you're being flexible and making lots of changes. And if you have a terrible memory, like me. 🧐

1. If the kids are older (or maybe even if they're not) it may be tempting to use them as messengers, ☎️ for this or that reason. Try not to do this. The kids shouldn't be put in the middle. They get confused, they forget, they make a mistake...or the ex gets pissy because the first ex didn't discuss the sleepover plans your daughter made with them directly. It's me. I'm them. 😛
2. Iron out those finances. 💰 Who's responsible for school lunches 🍕and who's responsible for doc visits? 🩺 And clothes? 👚 And sports? ⚽️ You get my point. If this wasn't made clear in your divorce, or if you didn't go through a divorce, you'll want to settle this BEFORE you're $2000 in the hole for braces already placed. 
3. My ex's points:
   1. don't call each other names (totally directed at me, but we won't go there--I'm just animated. People shouldn't take me so seriously)
   2. communication is key (we've definitely covered this already)
   3. don't use the kids as messengers (also covered it already, but thanks, ex)
4. Last but not least, less of a tip, more of a statement. You being friendly with your ex as you co-parent is more important than you might know. 🥰 The kids have been through an ordeal. It may not seem so to you, but their little worlds have been rocked. 🌎 All they have now is to see their parents NOT fighting, and happy. Not to mention it helps with behavior. Kids of split parents can easily cause trouble (playing you against each other etc) but are a lot less likely when they realize you still are on the same page as each other. I promise. 

So now you have legit co-parenting tips from Mama Gnome and her ex. Hopefully you'll take some of these tips on as practice, if you're not already. Do as I say and not as I do...seriously though, these all came from experience. Good luck to you and your kids (and the ex) with this journey! You got this! 💪

Thanks for stopping by! Until next time...

Mama Gnome, A.K.A. Eliza