You and your ex are trying your best to co-parent. You both put your children first. As you went through the divorce process, you made all of your decisions with the children in mind. While you and their father have differences, you know that it is important to present yourselves as united.
With Father’s Day coming up, you will need to put your differences aside and help your kids celebrate your ex. While you may have addressed this day in your parenting plan, you still should take extra initiative to ensure it goes smoothly. Even if his efforts lacked for Mother’s Day this year, you can help set a great example for years to come as both of you figure out this co-parenting adventure.
Divorced moms can make Father’s Day plans.
If your divorce was recent, you and your kids are probably still adjusting to this new way of life. You can help ease tension with your kids and their new living arrangement by spear-heading plans for dad.
- Encourage gifts and recognition. As a parent, you know how great it is to feel appreciated. You can give money to your children and let them pick out gifts for their dad, or encourage them to create something at home. Give them paper and markers to create cards.
- Plan in advance. Talk to your ex. Take the time to make proper arrangements. Is that actually your weekend? If so, talk about trading-this may have been addressed in your parenting plan. If the kids have something going on, perhaps you could plan to celebrate the special day during the week. Maybe you can meet in The Old Market for dinner or swing by the Joslyn Art Museum to check out an exhibit after work.
- Make an effort the actual day. If your kids can’t meet up with their dad on June 17th, make sure they contact him that day. A simple phone call or chat via webcam can do the trick, and really make both your children and their dad’s day.
No matter what issues you have with your ex, always ensure that you show support for your children’s relationship with their father. Take note of the experience. What about planning went well? What didn’t? After the celebrating is complete and both your kids and their dad have enjoyed their day, talk to your ex. Discuss the pros and cons of how this co-parenting adventure went. Use this information to work with one another moving forward. Feel free to include the kids in your discussions. Ask them about their experience and make changes to future plans accordingly.