Child
Introducing: Sophie’s Parenting Tips Column
Eloise Edington | 1 Jun 2022
Worried about parenting after divorce? Panicking over the trials of co-parenting? Stressed about dating during IVF?
You’re going to love The Ribbon Box’s new column by Sophie.
Sophie has been co-parenting with her ex for the past year since they separated. She admits she’s by no means a parenting expert but she’s picked up some parenting hacks along the way and has tips and advice to share with TRB’s readers.
So, what’s to come?
- Expect amusing anecdotes about dating with young children
- Relatable tales of co-parenting with an ex
- A man’s point of view on single parenting
- And much more!
Let’s turn to Sophie to find out a little more about her story…
Me, Myself, and I – and You!
On January 1 2020, my husband and I decided to separate and co-parent our (then) 7-month-old daughter and 2-year-old son. For the next three months, we lived in separate bedrooms under one roof while we decided how we would go about co-parenting.
We researched parenting blogs, co-parenting tips, and advice on parenting with an ex. We spoke with others who had done it and I read everything I could get my hands on, but I felt we were still going into the unknown.
I found the most stressful time was telling family and friends and trying to get them to understand what my ex and I were trying to achieve. We felt our children would be much happier if their parents were apart than if they witnessed the demise of our relationship. To us, it was better to be blended and to be united.
Follow Sophie on Instagram here – reach out to her if you want her to cover a parenting topic!
A year and a half later we are co-parenting and we are great friends. I am not saying it hasn’t been difficult, it has. We’ve had ups and downs as parents: started our new lives solo-parenting, I returned to work, the children have started (and love) nursery, we’ve had family challenges and household logistics to sort, new houses to move into and for the children to become accustomed to, and new relationships to navigate with our blended family. All in all, pretty regular stuff I’m sure some of you will be going through, too.
No doubt we’ll continue to meet hurdles (big and small) along the way but we’re confident that co-parenting was the right decision for our family.
I’m still learning how to co-parent and traverse future obstacles like dating after separation, with children, being a working mum etc., so I’m no parenting expert, but I’ve learnt a lot along the way.
This column aims to help others in similar situations: single/solo parents, co-parents, blended families, and families in general.
Ultimately, this column is for you, and I want you to tell me what you would like to read about. What would you like answered or explored? Let me shed some light on common parenting issues; providing hacks and fun, relatable stories as we go.
I hope you enjoy the column and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and what you would like to read about and our journey together.
Reach out to us at The Ribbon Box on Instagram – don’t forget to mention me (Sophie) in your message!
Sign up for our new newsletter, bursting with parenting tips and advice here – it’s coming so soon!
