Mashonda’s Co-Parenting Advice
1) Separating feelings from behavior: It’s okay to be hurt and angry, but your feelings don’t have to dictate your behavior. Instead, let what’s best for your kids—you working cooperatively with the other parent—motivate your actions.
2) Get your feelings out somewhere else: Never vent to your child. Friends, therapists, or even a loving pet can all make good listeners when you need to get negative feelings off your chest. Exercise can also be a healthy outlet for letting off steam.
3) Stay kid-focused: If you feel angry or resentful, try to remember why you need to act with purpose and grace: your child’s best interests are at stake. If your anger feels overwhelming, looking at a photograph of your child may help you calm down.
4) Use your body: Consciously putting your shoulders down, breathing evenly and deeply, and standing erect can keep you distracted from your anger, and can have a relaxing effect.
Article source here.
Fathers able to discern babies crying as well as mothers
While mothers are often thought to have parenting “superpowers,” recent research is finding that fathers are often just as gifted. For instance, this article covers a recent study that found fathers can hear their child’s cries as well as mothers.
Studies like this suggest it is the amount of time that a parent spends with the child that determines their level of connection with the child — not their gender.