Divorced Moms Toolbox

Being a mom is an enormous job filled with gifts and challenges.  Adding to all the normal situations moms face, those of us who are divorced have another layer of both difficulties (and blessings).

Co-parenting with our ex is probably on the top of the difficulties list for many and dozens (hundreds?) of the issues fall under this topic.

Here are a few that come to mind…please add your own…

• How do I co-parent with someone who has different child-rearing values than me

• My ex doesn’t want to have anything to do with our children and I am furious at him, how do I handle this?

• How do I know what to say and when to stay quiet about my children’s father’s behavior.

• My ex wants the children to spend the holiday with the woman he left me for and I wont to allow it!  What should I do?

• How do I cooperate with an ex that has been verbally abusive to me and is now verbally abusing my children.

• I am tired and overwhelmed and have little energy to parent the way I used to.

• My children are acting out and are out of control and I don’t have the support of their father, what do I do?

• How to I handle it when my children are hurt and upset at their dad’s behavior toward them?

• What can I do to create a positive relationship with my ex when he tends to be so contentious.

• I resent that dad gets all the credit for being cool and fun while I am left with all the responsibility.

• My child is acting in the same way as my ex did toward me, I feel like I am back in the same relationship, how come this keeps happening to me?

• Help!!! I am divorced AND have teenagers…need I say more?

• My children keep asking questions about the divorce; how do I know what is appropriate to tell them?

• How can I take care of myself when there isn’t enough time to take care of everything else?

• I want to start dating, but don’t want to upset my kids, what guidelines can you give me?

I also mentioned the blessings. What are the gifts for our children in this thorny world of divorce?  I am excited about exploring the treasures inherent in raising emotionally healthy children through the transition of divorce by writing about topics including:

• How our children can learn to set healthy boundaries through their struggles.

•  Teaching our children to be aware of and able to articulate their feelings.

• Helping our kids learn how to navigate difficult personalities.

• Creating in our children an understanding that even when life looks like it is crumbling around you, the possibility of a better future is yours to embrace.

• Empowering our kids at an early age to embrace the concept that we each choose who and how we want to be in the world and then live into those choices.

• I plan on celebrating all the treasures that come from the type of wisdom that our children can develop at a much earlier age than we did!

This lists just scratches the surface of all that we can discuss together here on Divorced Moms.