Deirdre Bey

Play Nice Deirdre Bey

Parenting has dramatically changed over the course of two decades. If you ask any women over 50 years of age what would parenting look like today, she would not say there would be 3x the number of single mothers today than in her time. However, this is true and today, in the age of social media and the media overall, co-parenting is often portrayed as a negative, in part because it is greatly influenced by the reciprocal interactions of each parent. Although, this arrangement can have its challenges co-parenting increases the likelihood that two active parents remain in the lives of their children. Any changes within the family unit can be most difficult for children, who may not be able to express themselves. What matters is that your children be in a healthy environment, where they can thrive in their childhood. Part of this is seeing how the adults work through differences. In turn, they will learn lessons from both parents and have examples that will encourage them to have successful communicative relationships as adults. Deirdre realized as a single parent and professional who had the education, tools, and resources to navigate the co-parenting journey, what she soon came to realize that if it wasn't easy for her it couldn't be any easier for those moms without the tools and support needed to co-parent. This author lets you in on her private journey while giving you tools on how to care for yourself, resources to involve your children in, and a lesson to consider at each phase of development while trying to work with dad.