Dear Lindsey:

As I read your recent post, I thought to myself: wow,  how far Lindsey has come from the time we started communicating!  It is almost like  are a different person: taking charge of your family situation (setting up tutoring for Ella and a payment plan), of your career (getting involved in more committees, requesting to be a member at a mentoring program), plus you have a healthy relationship with a Jason. I am so impressed!

Dealing with a difficult ex like Jon would be difficult for anyone, but you are doing it very well, considering who he is. He didn’t want to spend the money for Ella being tutored, and he cancelled her tutoring this Saturday (so to save money and/ or to assert power, part of him being passive-aggressive)- these do not paint him as a good person or a good father. What a shame.

Here is a blog titled 9 tips for co-parenting with a difficult ex, by Dr. Karen Finn, a divorce and life coach. It reads so fitting to your situation:

“As difficult as divorce is, co-parenting may be even more difficult. And co-parenting with a difficult ex could make you want to hitch a ride with Thelma and Louise. The drama, the crazy-making, the accusations and bad-mouthing, the manipulation, the constant pushing of limits….Co-parenting with a difficult ex can be incredibly frustrating. How can you maintain your sanity and ensure that your children have access to at least one ‘adult’ parent?

“You know that good co-parenting means you put the children first. But you can do only so much if you are co-parenting with a difficult ex. And what if your ex is a narcissist or toxic person? How do you pull off a shared effort with someone who is incapable of putting anyone else first?…

“Here are 9 tips for co-parenting with a difficult ex. 1. Accept what you can’t change. Control what you can. You will never be able to change your co-parent… If you are co-parenting with a difficult ex, you know your buttons are going to get pushed. You will need a steady temperament and resolved composure in order to maintain your commitment to great parenting.

“2. Recognize the dynamic and how it plays out. How does the interaction with your ex go from 0 to 90 in the course of a breath? Are there recognizable patterns to your communication?….

“3. Set new boundaries… Don’t allow yourself to be baited. Take defensiveness and emotional reactions off the table. Set time parameters for communication, and stand by them. Limit the means of communication — for example, no texting, but email and parenting portal only. (Talking Parents is a free option for both avoiding disputes and documenting communication between co-parents.) You may also want to consider blocking your ex from your social media…

“4. Don’t respond immediately. So much of co-parenting with a difficult ex is about not engaging. Of course, you will have to engage on behalf of your children. But you do have the power and right to choose when and how you engage. If your ex says or writes something that causes an immediate dump of adrenaline into your system, take a breath and step back. Do your ‘reacting’ in your own mind or in venting with a friend. Do your ‘responding’ once you are calm. Sleep on your response. Choose a doable ‘delay time’ for responding to anything other than emergencies. You’re not on-call for your ex.

“5. Don’t respond to everything…Stay focused on what co-parenting is about: It’s not about hashing out your unfinished marital discord or diminishing one another. Respond to communication about the children. Let the rest go…

“6. Business is business. Co-parenting with a difficult ex may require you to keep your communication business-like, factual and pragmatic. Focus on the children and their needs. The fantasy of co-vacations with exes is best left to Hollywood and the rare exception to the rule.

“7. Document. You don’t have to announce it. Just quietly and consistently do it. Keep a dedicated journal for documenting dates, times, communication, breaches of agreements, support payments, etc. The information is for your eyes only — until if and when you may need it in a legal setting. Having proof can save a lot of mud-slinging when things turn into ‘he said, she said.’

“8. Consider a court order. If your ex consistently barges through agreements and boundaries, you may need to consider filing a court order. You can talk with your attorney about your options for modifying your parenting plan so that co-parenting works better.

“9. Evaluate if co-parenting is possible. If your efforts to co-parent in a healthy way consistently end up in chaos and distress, you may need to consider parallel parenting. (This is especially true if your ex is a narcissist or is alienating you from your children through power plays, parallel parenting may be the only choice.) How is your co-parenting arrangement affecting your children? Your sanity? Your ability to stay in integrity without feeling crazed by your ex? If you are holding up your end of the deal but are continually undermined or thrown off-course by your ex, it may be time to consider a new arrangement in the best interest of your children and your own sanity.” End of quote.

* Reads so fitting. I did not know of the term Parallel Parenting prior to reading the above!

Webmd. com/ parallel parenting: “Parallel parenting is a method of shared parenting in which parents interact as little as possible with each other while maintaining their relationships with their children. This can be an effective method when you and your ex have trouble with a civil relationship… How is Parallel Parenting different from Co-parenting? Co-parenting is a type of shared parenting in which you and your ex work together to raise your children. The rules are similar at both homes, and you have a united front for the benefit of the children. In co-parenting, you discuss issues that arise with the children and agree on a solution together. You may both attend their school events and extracurricular activities. This method of shared parenting involves a lot of communication and working together with your ex.

“In parallel parenting, each parent has certain responsibilities, and they carry out day-to-day duties without involving the other parent. The exact details will depend on your parenting plan”.

talking parents. com/ parallel parenting: “Parallel parenting is a strategy for divorced or separated parents who are unable to cooperate to raise their children in a healthy environment. The hurt, anger, resentment, or other emotions from their relationship can mean that they are unable to communicate without hostility. Parallel parenting is for parents who, in some cases, can’t be in the same room together or even hear each other’s voices without conflict… Communication is strictly limited to emergencies or other pressing issues that need it. There are no joint holiday or birthday celebrations and no joint attendance at school meetings, doctor appointments, or soccer games. In addition, parallel parenting means that neither parent gets to have a say on how the other parent chooses to manage parenting responsibilities (as long as the well-being of the children is not in jeopardy)…

“Choose communication channels appropriate to your arrangement. For example, if you must discuss a last-minute schedule change, a text or email rather than risk an emotionally charged conversation in front of the kids. Some parenting plans include the use of a communication book that parents pass back and forth with the children. Platforms such as Talking Parents keep parents connected without face-to-face meetings or direct conversations. Parents can create and send stamp-dated messages, including file attachments, via email and text messaging, share calendars, and coordinate events and personal journals for keeping notes. The app also allows parents to store and share images and documents, such as court papers, school files, doctors’ appointments, and school permission slips. Everything within Talking Parents is secure and unalterable and can be ordered in the form of a PDF or certified printed Record…”-

-Amazing! Did you hear about the ideas of a communication book and the app Talking Parents?

anita