Todays advice from the old farmer:* I have had some unnamed assistance with tonights post and since I havent had to suffer a divorce personally, I appreciated the help... * I have some divorce advice that I think any divorced parent will truly appreciate. It has to do with parenting schedules, in other words, the times the kids are with you and the times they are with your ex. My adversary said if he had to pick the hardest part of adjusting to divorce, I’d have to say it was the fact that my then 3 and 5 year olds were sleeping out. I don’t think I’ll ever forget how devastating that was, and how hard that was to get used to. Six years later, I’m still not “used to” it. I mean, seriously. Isnt the best feeling in the world when your kids wake up in the morning, come downstairs and give you hugs and kisses? Waking up without that is and has always been very difficult for me. It feels unnatural and wrong. It feels strange and empty. That said, it is the reality of divorce. If the kids are really young, divorced couples have a schedule, and the kids just adhere to it. They don’t know any other way. But, if the kids are older, or as the kids get older, they begin to have an opinion (and possibly preferences) about where they want to sleep, which is what happened to me the other night. It was my ex’s weekend with the kids, so I had not seen them in a couple days, and when they came back to my house on Sunday, they werent happy. My daughter was actually crying, and my son was quiet. After asking them several times what was wrong, they told me that they wished they could have stayed at mom’s for an extra night, because she was leaving for a business trip the next day, and they wouldnt see her for a week. I called my ex and they ended up going back over there and spending the night. I ended up crying myself to sleep. Do they love her more? Is she more fun? Would they rather be there than at my house? These were all questions running through my mind. I was angry at them, angry at my ex, and angry at the world. I was bitter and wished I wasnt divorced. But then, the next morning, rational me woke up and I realized something. The kids were feeling insecure that they werent going to see their mom for a week, so they wanted to go there, probably to reassure themselves that she was “in the picture.” That seemed to make sense. It wasnt unreasonable. That doesnt mean they don’t love me. That doesnt mean they love her more. That doesnt mean they’d rather be there all the time. It means that they love both their parents intensely and equally. * Here are some characteristics of children of divorce: They can have guilt at times when they arent with the other parent, as they are worrying and wondering if the alone parent is okay. They become devastated when one parent says something negative about the other, of even if the parent doesnt come right out and say it, if they know the one parent is angry with or dislikes the other parent, it kills them. They are confused. Whose house do we want to be at? We can’t decide because we want to be at both parent’s houses, and that isnt an option. They can feel unorganized because their stuff is everywhere. One day they want to wear a certain shirt and they realize it’s at the other parent’s house. That can frustrate them or make them angry. They can feel insecure if they are at one parent’s house and they haven’t heard from the other parent via phone or text. The situation that occurred the other night was a lesson that taught me something: the importance of selflessness, in other words, making it all about the kids and not about me at all. It isnt easy, but if your kids choose the other parent, here are some tips: * DO NOT take it personally. They LOVE YOU TOO, just as much as their other parent. * DO NOT make your children feel bad about their decision to be with the other parent. Fake it if you have to. * You are allowed to feel sorry for yourself for about 30 minutes. Then use the alone time to be productive or find some enjoyment by doing something fun or interesting. * Continually reassure your kids that they have two parents who deeply love them and that they are welcome at both of their homes unconditionally and whenever they choose. * Lastly, don’t take it out on your ex. It’s not his or her fault. It’s just divorce. * Now set back and enjoy a hot chocolate while you check out the comments and find that smile to wear for your Hump Day...
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 04:49:17 +0000
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