Q My ex and I have been divorced for about six months. My son goes back and forth between our homes. Recently he has begun telling me he wants to live with me. It’s been going on for about three months now. Right before he leaves, he asks if he can stay. He seems so unhappy. I’m thinking about taking my ex back to court to ensure he lives with me full time. What’s good ex-etiquette?
A I don’t question for one second that he’s telling you this - and if he’s like most kids I have worked with after their parents split, he’s probably saying the same thing to mom. He’s not lying and he’s not trying to cause problems. He’s being honest with both of you. You are both his parents. He wants to live with both of you. If he is unsafe with one of you, that’s a reason to consider a change, but if this is arrogance - “He’d just be better off with me,” - consider in this time of change and being uprooted from everything he has ever known, how spending less time with either parent is best for him.
The first rule of Good Ex-etiquette for Parents is, “Put your child first.” The second rule is check your ego at the door and “Ask for help if you need it.” (You can find more about the rules of good ex-etiquette at bonusfamilies. com, key words: ten rules.) Before you choose to go back to court, the first thing to do is talk to his mother. Has she heard the same thing? Will a change in schedule help, or is your son responding normally to his parents’ recent breakup? What can the twoof you do to make the transition easier on him? Unless there is a problem at mom’s, say she has a drug or alcohol problem, fighting over time with him will not help him feel more secure. Your child has a right to live with both of his parents. Make it work for him.
When there is a lack of communication between the parents, a change in schedule rarely makes things better for the child. The issue is how the parents communicate, and changing the schedule will not improve that.
That’s up to you. Improve how often you compare notes, how often you work together to problem solve, and your son will automatically respond. If a change in schedule is necessary, that will eventually become obvious, and you and his mother will hopefully make those changes in his best interest.
When people break up, it’s natural instinct to retreat to separate corners and not interact, but when we have children together we just can’t do that. To point you in the right direction, his mother and you might consider a co-parenting class or help from a therapist to discuss how to better problem solve. I don’t question your ability to parent, but it sounds as if you may need tools to properly co-parent now that you are apart. Use the 10 Rules of Good Ex-etiquette for Parents as your guide.
Jann Blackstone is the author of Ex-Etiquette for Parents: Good Behavior After Divorce or Separation, and the founder of Bonus Families - bonusfamilies.com. Contact her at drjannblackstone@gmail.com
Family, Pages 35 on 03/12/2014