Kid Logistics Are Now Your Responsibility
Maybe you haven't been responsible for most of the kid logistics up to this point, BUT you are about to start a 50/50 residential schedule.
I've got 3 PRO tips to help you glide into being the 100% on duty parent during your residential time.
1️⃣ Get On All the Lists
You know your kid is doing soccer this fall. It's not your co-parent's responsibility to keep you in the loop of practice changes, gear requirements, or to sign you up to bring post-game snacks.
Get Thee On The List, aka get yourself on the email lists. All the sports teams, piano teachers, school/teacher, etc. lists. Figure out who is the keeper of the lists and get your email added.
This reduces so much "you didn't tell me..." conflict and minimizes the need for one parent to do more of the mental & emotional labor around kid stuff.
BONUS: You may have a shared Google calendar that kid stuff goes on. Don't rely on the other parent to add things. Take full responsibility to get everything on there that you need.
2️⃣ Meet The Important People
Time to start introducing yourself! Make appointments and meet your kids' teachers (in person if possible), introduce yourself to the teamates' parents at practices, and meet all the tutors/music teachers even if the kids only go on days they are with your co-parent.
Take responsibility for knowing all these important people in your kids' lives.
BONUS: If your daughter always wants to have Rachel from school over for a playdate, get to know their parents. Have them over for dinner, meet for a boba tea, or suggest you all meet up at the town pool sometime.
3️⃣ Learn Their Keys to Thriving
Your kids love you and they have benefited so much from everything you've done for them. If your kid struggles with anxiety, depression, a learning challenge, ADHD, ASD, and/or gender or sexual identity and you haven't up to this point been the parent responsible for learning what will help them navigate school & life in a way they can thrive, that's ok. But today is a new day and going forward you may have a lot to learn.
Don't rely solely on your co-parent to teach you. Take responsibility for finding resources & experts to help you learn. You got this! Your relationship with your kid will benefit from your efforts in this area.
🧐 How do these tips land for you? Seem hard? Seem do-able? Feel free to message me here and let me know what you think!
YOU GOT THIS!
Meg
p.s. Now is a great time to get some coaching scheduled for August so that you can feel prepared and grounded for the upcoming school year. Create a strategy so that no matter what your co-parent (or kids) do or say, you can still feel calm, rested, and in control of the direction of your life!
Why not make it your best year yet!
