There’s so much truth to, not all superheros wear capes. As the year is coming to a close, let’s take a moment to reflect and be grateful for all those moments that caused stress and anxiety because, parenting. Co-parenting, to be more precise.
I’ve had so many moments this year which caused me to want to crawl out of my skin when it comes to scheduling alternate weekends, work schedule, birthday party plans and school engagements. Mainly, communicating with someone (the ex) that you’d simply rather not.
Kudos to all of us who manage to keep our cool during the simple conversations that go awry. For my daughter’s birthday, I’d mentioned to my ex, a month in advance, that due to my work schedule I wasn’t going to be able to take her to school and do the whole class celebration thing. After two additional reminders and the final confirmation text the day before her birthday, I receive the “you never said that” text. Almost an hour later with selective screenshots provided by the ex we finally “agree” to the original request.
These are the moments where we are tested. These are the moments where you can choose to go high or low. These are the moments where we stand our ground and continue to work on the individuals we’d like to be. In those moments you need to pat yourself on the back and say, well done. I didn’t go with my initial reaction which was to curse you out.
Keeping the line of communication open and cordial is a super power! I find the slightest misunderstanding or change in tone sends me into a fury, internally. My insides are screaming and cursing while externally, I’m cool, calm and collected.
The challenges of co-parenting are never ending, however there are personal moments of growth that need to be celebrated. Make sure to give yourself credit for those split seconds decisions that keep you sane in the grand scheme of things. Ultimately, the goal is to raise well-rounded and happy children.
These small gestures go a long way. So yes, you're a hero. Yes, you're amazing. Keep trying your best.
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