Divorce
One word divorced parents should never say to their children
ARE YOU GUILTY OF USING THIS FIVE-LETTER WORD WITH YOUR KIDS? Ever have a word that as makes you cringe every single time you hear it? Yeah, me too. (Actually, TBH, I have several but let’s not go there…) Recently during one of my coaching calls a divorced parent I was working with casually…
Read MoreRadical Acceptance: How parents dealing with divorce or separation can stop being miserable during the holidays
“Pain in life is inevitable, suffering is optional… even during the holidays.” The holidays are here, and while I would love to tell you at the McGhee household we got it going on… the truth is the whole Christmas thing on this end is looking a little bleak. See I’ve got a little confession to…
Read MoreTips For Handling A Difficult CoParent Dedicated To Divorce Drama
IS YOUR EX NASTY ONE DAY AND NICE THE NEXT? Sara was hanging on by a thread. Coparenting with her Ex, Anthony, was incredibly draining, unpredictable and filled with drama. One day he would be rude and standoffish in front of the boys. Then the very next day, he’d act like nothing ever happened and…
Read MoreWhat every parent needs to know about 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 sleep over. There are an endless number of…
Read More7 Ways You Might Be a KickAss CoParent 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…
Read MoreHandling Holiday Hassles With An Ex 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…
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…
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