The modern family is anything but the traditional nuclear family. For years, families have been a combination of paired parents, unmarried families, grandparents and kids with no parents, separated parents, and even more than two parents.
That’s the case for Abby Wambach co parenting wifes ex husband, Craig Melton, and with Glennan Doyle. Like them, thousands of families across the country are being created every year through a changing landscape of old marriages ending and new relationships starting in which parental connections with children stay the same regardless.
Much of the conflict that many people find extremely challenging with a new relationship after an original one fails is trying to find a choice between following one’s heart and sacrificing for what seems practical and an obligation. People literally face a fork in the road to deal with a broken marriage, continuing an ongoing cycle of frustration, or pursuing a new relationship that is fresh, vibrant, and positive. Folks often find themselves easily conflicted with pangs of guilt regarding abandoning perceived responsibilities, family and friends’ expectations, and their own conscience. Ultimately, one has to make a decision, either way, choosing how to go forward. Even then, many still find they have a lot of work to do beyond their new romance, namely the care for kids involved through co-parenting.
Co-parenting takes all partners past and new to be involved when related to the children. Ideally, forming a co-parenting circle for the kids to rely on for support is the best practical approach. It ensures the affected children that any divorce strife is not going to change anything about their lives in terms of parental support. The parents’ combined efforts will involve daily work and constant, continuous communication, especially as the kids move into teenagehood. But the dividends pay off, especially in how everyone treats each other, which influences how the kids develop as well.
More importantly, however, partners sometimes have to relearn how to be a parent again. Old ideas from the past growing up don’t always apply in a unique multi-parent scenario, and they oftentimes have to be discarded versus a new, multi-parent dynamic that gets created. And all who are in such co-parenting relationships agree, it takes a lot of cooperation; the ability to work as a team is critical in making the unique parenting paradigm work. No, it doesn’t match traditional ideas of a nuclear family, but multi-parent bonds and teams can work.
The above trend is likely to continue as the very nature of the modern family today continues to morph with the times. This is the kind of topic that will continue to create a lot of chatter about social direction. However, for the kids involved, what matters most is knowing they have a solid parental circle around them with love and support. If that can be maintained, the family unit is oftentimes able to adjust and continue and grow, which is good news for the next generation relying on the adults at home as role models on how to tackle life.