Tips for Co-Parenting During the Holidays

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co-parenting during the holidays

WE ARE FAM-I-LY!

Now that I’ve gotten that song stuck in your head for the rest of the day, let’s stay on that subject.

Family (defined): a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit.

A quick google search yielded that result, and for the purposes of this post, I’m pleased. I also realize families come in all different shapes and sizes that may not include parents OR children. This definition doesn’t encompass all family types.

While living together as a unit might imply a family lives together under one roof, I read it as parents and children living life together as a cohesive unit, although that may not be under the same roof. And that is EXACTLY how we live our lives.

Co-Parenting During Holidays

For divorced parents, the topic of the holidays can be tough. Who gets the kids for Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and Easter? Who is driving how far on what day to exchange suitcases and children? How do we split the kids’ time so it’s fair to us?

Spoiler alert: It’s not about US! It’s about the kids. And for that reason, my blended family does things together as one giant family.

Blended Families

It is important to us that our kids never feel like they have two separate families, but one giant one. They have new baby sisters on both sides and for all intents and purposes those beautiful baby girls will grow up being “sisters” as well and it is so fun to watch them interact.

They will always have two moms and two dads to cheer them on in life and to share their special moments and double the people to ask for a fourth slice of pumpkin pie. Math isn’t my strong suit, so don’t quote me on odds, but the chances of getting what you want increase when you have four people to ask instead of two. Something that tends to work in their favor.

If I have one complaint about the co-parenting relationship we’ve created and sharing the holidays (or any day) it’s that it’s really hard to differentiate who the kids are addressing when they shout “MOM” or “DAD”! So this Thanksgiving I may petition for them to give me a super cool nickname, which I just know is going to be “Bruh”!

I enjoy the time we get to spend gathered around the dining room table, sharing stories about the kids, life, and recent binge-worthy shows. We can all crack open a Busch Light (or several) and be thankful that this is the life we’ve created for our children.

Family First

Divorce is tough.

Divorce with kids is REALLY tough.

The effect divorce can have on kids is the toughest.

That’s why the decision to be the best co-parenting squad around was an easy one.

And that’s why when we all go around the table and say what we’re thankful for, it’s a simple answer. It’s this beautifully blended life we’ve all worked hard to create.

It’s family.

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Kinzy Gillespie
Kinzy is a self-proclaimed “cool mom” to 3 spirited kids: Kellan (2012), Harper (2014), and Charlotte (2019). Her husband James is a Des Moines Firefighter whose only real downfall is his wholehearted participation in “Movember.” When she’s not working diligently to answer the ten thousand questions her kids ask in a day, she can be found slamming coffee, adding things to her shopping carts online knowing full well she’ll never actually checkout, and laughing at her own jokes. She spends most of her days reminiscing about when naps were still a thing, avoiding household chores, and striving to perfect the work/life balance.

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