When you are a divorced parent, you’re undoubtedly going to run into tricky situations from time to time. Often, children will miss the other parent in-between visits, and when this happens you’ll need to have a plan and know what to do to ease the transition and comfort your child. I’ve put together three tips that’ll help you do just that.

1.  Freedom of Expression: It’s perfectly normal for your child to be sad and miss the other parent while spending time with you. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you and it doesn’t mean they love the other parent more than they love you. So, first and foremost – don’t get frustrated and try to squash or limit their expression and emotion. Allow your child time to feel sad and be there to comfort them while they do it; they need that. Be ready to say things like, “You’ll see Mom on Monday,” or even allow your child a phone call to the other parent if necessary.

2.  Keepsake: Make sure your child has a keepsake from the other parent that they can carry with them, hold onto, and snuggle at night that reminds them of the other parent. This could be a photograph, a special toy or stuffed animal, or an item of clothing. Whatever it is, it will be a comfort to your child when they miss the other parent. Be sure your child has something of yours or from you as well that they can carry with them while they’re apart from you. Chances are your child is missing you while spending time with the other parent, too.

3.  Communication: Talk to your child about their feelings, where you ask questions and spend time just listening. You’ll likely be surprised by the things they tell you, and listening will allow you the opportunity to have a greater understanding of what your child might be going through internally. Look for kid-friendly books and television shows that discuss divorce and share those with your child, so they know they’re not alone in all the chaos.

Remember to make the most of the time you get with your child, as it may be limited. Your child missing the other parent shouldn’t take away from the time you get to spend with them. If anything, you can help them through this change and build a bond that will last a lifetime.

Good luck, you can do it!

Daddy Nickell

Parenting Expert and father of 7, Robert Nickell (aka Daddy Nickell) offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents. Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddy & Co., delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel for every stage of fatherhood, and the Daily Daddy Blog. He is also the creator and producer of “My Life as a Dad,” the groundbreaking new web series that showcases celebrity fathers offering their personal experiences and parenting tips.

The post What to do When Your Child Misses Mom (or Dad) appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Co-parenting is challenging in any situation, but a separation or divorce certainly adds extra stress. Establishing consistency between parents, especially when it comes to discipline and setting boundaries, can certainly make the transition less rocky for the whole family.

1. Try to maintain the rules that existed when you were married. If your kids weren’t allowed to watch television before 7:00am, don’t suddenly make it okay to do that.  When everything in your child’s life seems to be changing, having structure around rules can provide a sense of stability.
2. Every divorce comes with its own set of communication issues between parents.  As much as you can, discuss big decisions and establish boundaries together. If you have a less-than-collaborative relationship with your ex, focus on the big issues and try not to sweat the smaller ones.  The key is to keep the rules within your respective homes consistent, so your kids know what to expect in each home.
3. If you are unable to be civil with each other, especially when it comes to parenting issues, consider having a third party help.
4. Don’t overturn each other’s decisions, and don’t say yes when you had agreed to say no. Being consistent will help you, your ex and your children.
5. Don’t pit your children against the other parent – this often happens with both married and divorced couples. No matter how frustrated, hurt or angry you are at your spouse, hold your tongue and find a trusted friend that can listen to you vent.

Going back and forth between houses and parents can be tough – taking as much uncertainty and guesswork out of the picture for your kids is an important part of the transition. Make sure that your kids know the routine, rules, and boundaries in each home.  And keep the lines of communication open with your children.  They may not proactively bring up their concerns, so checking in (even if they don’t want to talk) helps them know that you’re always available.

About Jennifer Chung & Kinsights.com

Jennifer Chung is a parenting expert and co-founder of Kinsights: part parenting community, part online health record. Kinsights provides parents with a safe place to seek answers to their questions while also helping them track their child’s health information. Organize your child’s growth and developmental milestones, immunizations, medications, allergies, and more.  Connect with Kinsights at https://kinsights.com to learn more and sign-up! You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter (@kinsights).

The post Keeping Consistency In Disciplining Between Divorced Parents appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.