God-Centered Co-parenting Strategies
SharePinEmailWith all the stresses and emotions of co-parenting, how can a single mom co-parent peacefully? The key is to keep God front and center. Even in the most difficult co-parenting situations. Here’s an overview of what we talked about on the podcast. For the full conversation, be sure to listen to episode #30 of Grace…
With all the stresses and emotions of co-parenting, how can a single mom co-parent peacefully? The key is to keep God front and center. Even in the most difficult co-parenting situations.
Here’s an overview of what we talked about on the podcast. For the full conversation, be sure to listen to episode #30 of Grace for Single Parents wherever you listen to Podcasts!
Related: 5 Keys to Mindful Co-Parenting After a Divorce
God-Centered Co-parenting Strategies
- One thing that I really struggled with a lot was parenting out of fear: fear of losing my kids, fear of them getting old enough to decide and choose to live, and parenting out of fear in general. We tend to control things when we’re afraid.
- Always keep your kids first. You need to love your kids more than you hate your ex.
- You control the relationship you have with your kids. You control the way that you relate to your kids, the way that you interact with them, and the way that you connect with them. Nobody else in the world, including their dad, can change that no matter what kind of awful things are being said or done or manipulation or lies. Ultimately, you being, you stay true to who you are and who God says you are and who God says you need to be for your kids in this situation.
- Teaching our kids boundaries helps them instill lifelong skills they will carry with them from house to house.
- Ana talks about connection with our kids versus us trying to control situations.
- Teaching our kids boundaries helps them instill lifelong skills they will carry with them from house to house.
- Being honest with our kids about our failings and saying, “I blew it.”
- Even though it doesn’t deal with co-parenting in the Bible, it tells us how to treat people, love God, and love others as yourself. And that that includes everybody.
- God loves our children way more than we ever could. Our children are ultimately His, we can trust our children in His care.
- If we can stop looking at our exes as bad and just remember there doing what they think is right as well.
- One of the hard things to remember sometimes is when we’ve got high conflict is that our exes are children’s father, “ex is such a harsh tone”, fathers or mothers. They, we’re made in the image of God as well. So whether they profess to be followers of Jesus or not, it still says that we are, that we are all made in God’s image.
- We might be the only Jesus they see and that’s weighty. Stay true to who you were made to be and whose you are. Eventually, the kids will see on the other end, you never wavered, mom. You know, dad, you were always solid. You pointed me to Jesus every step of the way.
Related: How to Stop Bad-Mouthing Your Ex
Related: The Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Co-Parenting
Favorite lessons from this episode
“You control the relationship you have with your kids. Nobody else in the world can change that. No matter what kind of awful things are being said or done or manipulation or lies. Ultimately, you being you, staying true to who you are and who God says you are and who God says you need to be for your kids in this situation.”
“The times where I’ve tried to control the situation are the times where things blew up in my face the most.”
Related: How to Call Upon God as Your Co-Parent
“The best we can do is still try to love them (our children’s other parent) because by loving them we’re loving our kids and our children are going to see it.”
“They (your ex) were made in the image of God as well. So whether they profess to be followers of Jesus or not, it still says that we are all made in God’s image. We might be the only Jesus they see. So just keep going. Just stay true to who you were made to be and whose you are. Eventually, the kids will see on the other end, man, you never wavered, mom. You know, dad, you were always solid. You pointed me to Jesus every step of the way.”
Where you can find more about Ana
Ana Bright is a cheerleader for moms. She strives to empower mamas raising (sometimes extra) strong-willed kids. You can find her at Grace and Glory Moms, where she shares hope, humor, and helpful tips for making it through motherhood while holding tightly onto Jesus.
