Gina’s Diary: Dad’s Girlfriend

I’ve read that men typically recouple first in the aftermath of a divorce. That was true in my case, after my parents split up…

My dad was the one who told me about his girlfriend, after I answered the phone and heard a strange female voice asking for him. I remember feeling slightly shocked by the news. It was only a month or two after my dad moved out and I was still adjusting to the new living arrangements. I didn’t expect my parents to start dating so quickly. I’m not sure if I expected them to start dating at all.

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Off-Duty Parenting… Babysitting?

The worst thing about my parents’ divorce was how much they cooperated. That sounds odd, doesn’t it? As a child, their level of respect for each other made the transitions easy for me and my sister. But as an adult, I’ve had a hard time understanding the animosity that plays out between separating couples.

One area where my parents worked together was the subject of caring for the kids if the custodial parent couldn’t. We lived with my mom most of the time and if she had somewhere to go or something to do, my dad was always quick to step in. I grew up thinking that was the way it should be.

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Movie: Mrs. Doubtfire

I saw Mrs. Doubtfire in the theater when it was released in 1993. At that time, I watched the story through the eyes of a child with divorced parents. I thought it was a nice story, and a funny one. But there was a lot that I didn’t understand. Yet.

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Evolving Relations: Partners to Parents

Divorce is not a continuation of marriage. This should go without saying, right? The fact is obvious for those couples who are able to part ways and never see each other again. But for couples with children, it becomes a little more complicated. Although the marriage ends, the connection continues. And this can cause some boundaries to blur. It’s not unusual for Mom and Dad to continue their same old relationship across two new households.

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Mother’s Day Gratitude

I signed on to Facebook last night and saw the following status from a friend of mine:

“Thank you to my wonderful sons for making my mother’s day very special. Thank you also to my husband who has shared this journey with me.”

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