Resolutions abound in January as most people want to start the new year with a fresh resolve. Some may pledge to lose weight, others may promise to go to church, while some endeavor to start new businesses. For those who promise to spend more time with their kids (especially if they are divorcing) the following resolutions as mentioned by the HuffingtonPost.com should hold some significance.
Don’t make faces at the mention of the other parent – To you, your ex may be one of the most contemptuous person’s walking the planet. To your child, they are an amazing person who they adore. So when a child says something positive about them, or wants to spend time with them, try not to look like you have just taken a whiff of rotten fish.
Don’t manipulate your child into spending time with you – It is terrible when a child tries to manipulate a parent into buying a toy or getting their way. It is equally as troubling when a parent does the same to the child in order to get more parenting time.
Don’t treat the child like he or she is a burden – Indeed, raising children involves sacrifices, and sometimes this means that a parent will not be free to have the same lifestyle as they did before the child was born. With that said, avoid blaming children for a parent’s lot in life.
Don’t punish a child for pouting – It is expected that children will not like to be shuttled between homes, especially since they had no say in how their lives would be disrupted. It could be helpful to give a child a break for being upset about moving back and forth between homes.
Source: HuffingtonPost.com, “New Year’s resolutions for divorced parents,” Kate Scharff, December 30, 2013
