When you go through a divorce, you have to relearn how to live in many ways. Everything from how to arrange pickups and drop-offs to how to manage funds is a skill you’ll relearn probably multiple times. But for me, the hardest skill to learn as an almost-divorced mom is the language of coparenting.
I’m sure I was speaking English before, like I am now, but sometimes I trip over my words as if I’m gaining a new mother tongue: the verbiage of parenting after divorce. I recognize that not all of my phrasing will work for someone else, but by focusing on using positive and neutral language, I have allowed my child to feel comfortable having a relationship with both of her parents, as well as helped her feel safe to vocalize her own hurts and fears. This has also encouraged a good working relationship with my ex, which is no small feat.
Read More: The Language of Coparenting: What to Say (and NOT to Say) to Your Child of Divorce
Choosing My Words Wisely,
