Navigating divorce is difficult, being it is summer, the challenges can be even more apparent.
“As a parent, all the mental gymnastics of childcare when you don’t have them at school all day and so I think scheduling can be a real challenge,” said Dr. Katherine Gallagher, a pediatric psychologist with Texas Children’s Hospital.
Planning and scheduling is one of the biggest obstacles during the summer months for families of divorce.
“Scheduling and routines can be really difficult for families over the summer,” Gallagher said. “As a parent all the mental gymnastics of childcare when you don’t have them at school all day. Occasionally you need to have a direct conversation, but many things can be accomplished by a shared calendar, emails, and text messages. There are apps, I’m sure out there that people are finding very helpful to just kind of these are essential things and this is flexible time just to be able to communicate effectively.”
There are plenty of apps out there that can fit your co-parenting needs… some of the most downloaded are We Parent, Cozi, Our Family Wizard, Co Parently, Parentship, 2houses, and Google Calendar.
Gallagher also reminds parents to reinforce positivity in the space and time they have with their children.
“If you find yourself falling into I’m with my child all day and I’m kind of noticing myself giving a lot of corrections. And it’s just it doesn’t feel great as a parent. We’ve all been there. Stop and notice because your child is going to be doing things right every day, especially if they’re going through difficult times, like coping with divorce or things that kind of come along with that.”
If a child appears sad, angry, lethargic, or pulled back from family and friends for more than two weeks; chat with them, and consult their pediatrician.