Celebrating The Big Days

by Alisa Peskin-Shepherd | May 11, 2018 | Kids & Co-parenting

With Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, wedding season, graduations and more on the horizon, it’s a good time to talk about what it means for divorced parents to work together.

Think about if you are a teenager about to graduate high school, facing an uncertain future with college, career, love and adventure ahead. Your parents live in different houses. They don’t like each other very much. Over the years, they’ve fought … over you.

What happens when you graduate?

Do they sit on opposite sides of the auditorium, and you twist your hands as you walk across the stage in cap and gown, shake the principal’s hand, grasp your diploma, because you know at the end of it all there lies uncomfortable silence, animosity, and your very real pressure of who to have dinner with, who to hug first?

This is when co-parenting counts the most. Sure, it counts all the time, but really, at the most important moments in our children’s lives, we must hold ourselves up as adults and behave as if we can truly co-parent in peace.

That means smiling, beaming, lauding our children for their wonderful accomplishments. It means setting aside any hard feelings you have for one another, and simply training your sights on your child.

It means finding a way to celebrate this important moment together.

Yes, you read that right. Together. Maybe even at the same table.

In the way your child wants to celebrate his or her milestones.

It’s not about you, parents. It’s always about the kids.

So this summer and as you move into other seasons of celebration, keep your eyes on your children and what is best for them. That often means coming together and enduring discomfort so they don’t have to. I believe in you. You got this.