Posts by Christina McGhee
What every parent needs to know about helping kids cope with divorce
Helping kids cope with divorce. 7 minute read When I coach parents about how to help their children cope with divorce, one of the first questions they often ask is “What do I say?” or “How can I talk about this?” And it’s not just that first big talk parents are losing sleepover. There are…
Read More7 Ways You Might Be a KickAss Co-Parent and Not Even Know It.
Since Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin put “conscious uncoupling” into the limelight a few years ago, the face of coparenting has started to shift. As a society, we seem to be embracing a new way forward and lots of coparents (some famous, some not) are leading the charge. While I am a huge fan of…
Read MoreHandling Holiday Hassles With A Co-Parent Who Hates You
Heather felt that familiar sense of dread. December was always the worst. Although she and Brian had been divorced for over three years, the holidays continued to be complicated and miserable. Despite her best efforts to keep things friendly, there was zero flexibility. If Molly or Jack had holiday parties or special events, Brian would…
Read MoreEasing Back and Forth Stress for Kids After Divorce
All the things your kids needed before the divorce, they will continue to need after you split up. How those needs get met, however, can be a real challenge when parents have different parenting styles, household structure, and rules. While it helps when parents can be on the same page about everyday routines, discipline, and…
Read MoreKeeping Kids Out of the Middle When Parents Divorce
Every day we tell our kids to stop. Stop arguing, stop being loud, stop touching each other… you know the drill. Just stop. And we expect them to do it. When parent split up kids have their own list of “stops” for us too. Stop fighting, stop being angry, stop saying mean things about each…
Read More6 Things Every Divorced Parent Should "Stop Doing"
Dear Kids, I’ve been thinking about how life has changed for you. There are so many things about our divorce that I wish I could fix or make less painful for you but I can’t. I hate that. You may not know this but I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what…
Read MoreHelping Kids of Divorce Manage Change
Nine months ago, Mathew’s parents told him that they were separating. They said while they were figuring things out they would keep living in the same house. Yesterday Mathew’s mom, Jackie, announced she’s moving out tomorrow. Mathew felt like somebody just punched him in the stomach. He thought his parents were trying to work things…
Read MoreGift Giving Tips for Divorced Parents
Molly used to love Christmas but now she can’t wait for it to be over. Ever since her parents split, the holidays have turned into a gift-giving battleground. Now during the holidays all her parents seem to care about is how they can outdo each other. While getting nice gifts initially was pretty cool, it…
Read MoreTruthbombs about coparenting and divorce
As a divorce coach, I’ve never been thrilled about the negative images that tend to be associated with divorce. Instead of laboring over kids having a broken family, I encourage parents to frame divorce as a change in the family, not the end of it. That doesn’t mean, however, that I want my clients to see…
Read MoreFive Things Every Kid Needs to Know When Parents Divorce
1. You don’t have to handle it all on your own. Although it may feel like the last thing in the world you want to do, talking to someone you trust really does help. If you don’t feel like you can talk to your Mom or your Dad, find someone safe who will listen to…
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