Recreating sense of family post divorce

[Anonymous]

What are some strategies, practices, rituals, etc you do to try and recreate a sense of family as a single parent?

[Anonymous]

Good question. We eat dinner together, mainly. Recently we had a family meeting which seemed to help. I would like us to do more together for fun since they do separate activities which leaves little family time. I have been trying to get the siblings to get along and have older sibling take more of a mentor approach so there is less fighting, since siblings see each other more than parents do. Holidays are kind of screwed over by the sharing of custody which stirs up bad feelings. Also children sometimes take on the personality of the ex which can cause rifts and dysfunctional patterns which need to be unlearned somehow.

[Anonymous]

Best thing you can do is not date or remarry. If you can manage this, you win the whole thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best thing you can do is not date or remarry. If you can manage this, you win the whole thing.

Silly advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Best thing you can do is not date or remarry. If you can manage this, you win the whole thing.

Silly advice.

Yes, please share you happy blended family story!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are some strategies, practices, rituals, etc you do to try and recreate a sense of family as a single parent?

For starters, don't use the nomenclature "single parent." You aren't one. You're a divorced parent. There's a HUGE difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some strategies, practices, rituals, etc you do to try and recreate a sense of family as a single parent?

For starters, don't use the nomenclature "single parent." You aren't one. You're a divorced parent. There's a HUGE difference.

People like you, who bring up the INANE "single parent" argument, are *infuriating*. It's ridiculous. Stop it. STOP. IT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are some strategies, practices, rituals, etc you do to try and recreate a sense of family as a single parent?

exDH kept such a different schedule from us due to his work hours, so we just enjoyed being able to make noise in the mornings. Getting ready for work/school we turned on music and it made mornings a thousand times happier than when we were tip-toeing around. Also, I hadn't realized but my ex had a somewhat limited palate and we expanded our repertoire of meals and trying a lot of new-to-us cuisines and dishes.

One of the things I lost moving out was having a twice-a-week cleaning person. So everyone had a couple of jobs after school/work, and on Sunday mornings, we all cleaned for an hour (I did more, but the kids only had to do an hour) while blasting music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some strategies, practices, rituals, etc you do to try and recreate a sense of family as a single parent?

For starters, don't use the nomenclature "single parent." You aren't one. You're a divorced parent. There's a HUGE difference.

People like you, who bring up the INANE "single parent" argument, are *infuriating*. It's ridiculous. Stop it. STOP. IT.

Single is marital status or you are parenting alone without another parent involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best thing you can do is not date or remarry. If you can manage this, you win the whole thing.

I am divorced. I completely agree about not remarrying. I date and that is fine: many people date and kids have no idea. Kids never meet dates or boyfriends. Dating is not an issue.

No remarriage.