Blog: Category: Thrive

Anyone can feel stress – adults and children. A combination of prior life experiences and other factors, like personality traits and genetics, influence how individuals perceive and respond to stress in their daily lives. Positive stress can motivate and help individuals focus their energy in ways that can improve their performance, help them problem solve, or encourage them to reach a goal or desire (e.g., learning to care for a new infant, preparing to graduate from high school). Negative stress can create mental, emotional, or physical distress, and it falls on a continuum that ranges from tolerable to toxic to traumatic.

Stress is the body’s normal response to change and challenges, and many of the stressors individuals experience daily are manageable and promote growth and well-being. For example, a kindergartner may have a meltdown and become frustrated as they try to tie their shoes, or a young a child may experience anxiety about visiting the doctor. For adults, examples of stress can include feeling overwhelmed when balancing work demands and child care or, perhaps, when dealing with sibling arguments among children. When individuals receive support, they can better navigate stress in ways that could build new skills, strengths, and connections to resources.

Stress, positive and negative, can activate the body’s flight-or-fight response systems. However, when a person experiences negative stress, their body reacts to a perceived threat, and feelings of helplessness, fear, and powerlessness may arise. Consider a time when you were previously in a stressful situation; you may have noticed physical reactions like your heart pounding, your breathing growing faster, your muscles clenching, or sweat dripping from your brow. These physical reactions occur because the brain processes the situation and stressful emotions and, then, sends signals to activate your body’s autonomic nervous system. This system has two parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. In response to a perceived threat, the sympathetic nervous system sharpens your senses, like your eye sight and hearing, and it provides the body with increased blood flow, more oxygen for alertness, and energy to respond. The parasympathetic nervous system, conversely, calms the body after a threat has passed.

An old adage encourages individuals to free themselves of stress by “shaking it off.” For manageable, every day stress, this proverb can be true! Kinetic strategies, which involve movement or motion, can provide channels for preventing and reducing stress reactions in the body. Physical activities, like running, practicing tai chi, lifting weights, or engaging in balancing and stretching movements, can have the following effects on the mind and body:

• Mood can improve when endorphins, which are hormones that are stimulated through exercise,  are released in the body. These chemicals can relieve pain and increase a sense of well-being.
• Physical tension caused by muscle contraction, such as stiffening and clenching, can be released.
• A sense of relaxation can be experienced as stored energy or tension is released as this allows muscles to return to their normal resting state.
• Unhelpful mental and emotional processes can be interrupted. For example, rumination – dwelling on a situation or the continuous looping of repetitive, negative thoughts – can be diminished.

When parents and caregivers engage in physical activity, they are role modeling healthy habits and a way to teach emotional coping strategies to their children. You can help your child develop and maintain a sense of mental and emotional balance by encouraging your child to participate in regular physical activity and movement like yoga poses and walks in nature. Positive and negative stressors can cause powerful, or big, emotions in a child. For example, a child can become overstimulated at a birthday party or a child whose active duty parent is deployed may feel anxiety or anger and may lash out at a younger sibling. Physical dysregulation can decrease your child’s ability to reason, control impulses, and problem solve. When a child is dysregulated in this way, they become more vulnerable to overreacting to additional emotional triggers like feeling hungry, tired, or frustrated with a task or when instructed to transition from an activity.

If an everyday occurrence has caused your child to become distraught, allow them time to calm down and name and accept their emotions. Then, you can help them release the intense emotions and physical tension by engaging with them in movement. You can help them to “shake it off” with activities like jumping or dancing, or you can guide them in settling down and gently caring for themself with activities like simple stretches and deep breathing  (e.g., blow bubbles or pretend to blow out candles on a cake).

You can also make physical activity a relaxing, fun part of your family’s’ regular routines. For example, have an impromptu dance party while putting toys away or sweeping the kitchen floor. Physical activity provides an opportunity for family members to connect, promotes physical health and mental well-being, and helps individuals build coping skills for a lifetime! You can incorporate physical activity into every day moments. For example, use household chores as opportunities to encourage movement: vacuuming, putting away laundry, or playing fetch with a pet. Any movement can help the body release stored tension. To support your efforts, see resource guides on the Thrive website, like Breathe to Thrive and Moving to Thrive.

Try These Movement Activities Together to Release Stress:

(Activities adapted from the website Save the Children.)

Go Slow Like a Turtle!

• Move like a turtle maneuvering across the beach.
• Drip, drop! It is starting to rain. Curl up and hide under your shell.
• Here comes the sun! Come out of your shell, and continue your relaxing walk towards the ocean’s waves.

Lounge like a Lazy Cat!

• Curl up in a little ball on the floor like a sleeping cat.
• Wake up with a big yawn and a slow meow.
• Slowly rise up onto your hands and knees.
• Arch your back.
• Slowly stretch out your arms and legs.
• Relax and lie down again like a lazy cat.

Float like a Feather and Freeze like a Statue!

• Spread your arms and float through the air like a feather.
• Now, freeze and stand still like a statue.
• Slowly start to move and float like a feather again.
• End in a relaxed state after floating like a feather.

Every April, in the United States, the Department of Defense recognizes military children for their challenges and unique experiences that are due to their parents’ service. These children did not choose military service, yet they often endure multiple moves, significant amounts of time away from their military parent(s), and lives experienced far from their extended families. A typical parent may question why they would subject their child to this kind of life. However, some military kids would not have it any other way.

Senior high school student, Ella N., has spent her whole life, 17 years, as the child of an active duty Army family. This summer, her family will embark on their seventh military move, but Ella will forge her own path to the University of Tennessee. This move will be the first in which an established group of friends will accompany her for this momentous occasion. For many of her friends, this will be their first move – their first time away from family and the home they grew up in. For Ella, it’s a rhythm she has grown accustomed to, and she looks forward to what she knows may feel uneasy at first but is sure to be a positive experience.

We had the opportunity to talk with Ella about what it’s like growing up as a military child.

Born at the military hospital in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Ella was only 4 months old when her father left for his first year-long deployment to Iraq. Although she doesn’t remember that deployment, she recalls his third deployment, a 9-month tour to Afghanistan, when she was 9 years old. During this deployment, Ella, the oldest of four children, lived with her family at Fort Drum, New York, a military installation located thousands of miles away from her extended family.

I was fairly young, so I don’t remember a lot about when he was gone. I do remember meeting with the MFLC [Military & Family Life Counselor] at my school to talk with her and other kids in my grade whose parents were also deployed. I also remember sending him cards and care packages to keep in touch. With the time difference, we didn’t get to talk much. What I remember most was spending lots of time with other Army families. We were like a support system for each other. We had dinners, celebrated birthdays and other holidays, and just spent time together.

Deployments are a common occurrence for service members and their families. About six-in-ten veterans (61%) state they were deployed at least once while they were on active duty; about three-in-ten (29%) state they were deployed three or more times (Parker et al., 2019). Socialization with other military children during a parent’s deployment can serve as a protective factor and is associated with more positive outcomes for military children (Meadows et al., 2017). Living on a military installation, Ella was surrounded by other military families who were also experiencing a deployment. We asked Ella what it is like living on an installation.

Living on a military base is like living in a gated-off little town. It doesn’t feel completely isolated from the “real world,” but it definitely feels like a sheltered community. Things seem to move a lot slower, and the community is more tight-knit. I always felt very safe.

Ella and her family have lived on four military installations, which are commonly referred to as “posts” by members of the Army. She is fond of these experiences and shared about her favorite installation where her family lived when she was in the sixth through eighth grades.

My favorite place to live on post was Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. I had a lot of freedom to hang out with my friends, and there were a lot of things to do on base such as going to the pools, the youth center, and the movie theater. I went to school on post where I played volleyball, basketball, and ran track. I was also a member of my school’s debate team. I made many long-term friends whom I still talk to today.

The majority of military families (66%) do not live on installations (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2015). Active duty military families may also be assigned to locations without an installation or much of a military presence. Ella reflects about the times her family did not live on a military installation:

The first time I lived outside of a military community my classmates were fascinated by the fact that my dad was in the military. They had all sorts of questions about how we lived on post and what kind of jobs he had to do. When it came time for my family to move, my friends took it very hard since it was not often that people moved in and out of that area. My favorite place to live off post has been Clarksville, Tennessee, where I live now. I feel more “normal” and go to a school with kids who are both military and non-military affiliated.

Military children are often described as resilient – having the ability to bounce back from adverse experiences. We asked Ella what this means to her.

Military kids are forced to face certain challenges, such as repeatedly moving schools, being far away from family, and having to make new friends. They become more easily acclimated to change over time and more adaptable.

Ella admits that, although she would describe herself as resilient, being a military child is not always easy.

The biggest challenge for me is getting used to consistency. Since I have moved so many times and have had to create a new community in multiple places, it can be hard for me to go long periods of time without moving or facing the challenge of having to start all over in a new place. I’ve grown used to the constant change.

Active duty military families move every 2-3 years – sometimes more, or less, often (Department of Defense, n.d.). These moves can occur mid-school year, and, often, the moves are across state lines or even overseas. Ella shares what it’s like to move often.

Making new friends every 2-3 years is a normal rhythm in my life. With each move, I learned how to put myself out there to meet new people and try new things. Although I enjoy having a wide circle of friends, I am also content with being alone. I have learned to pursue my own wants and desires without waiting for peer approval or encouragement from others. As I have gotten older, it has been more difficult for me to cope with moving since my friendships have become more meaningful. But, with each move, I have researched the new schools or activities that I could do in the new place, such as a club soccer team or fun things to do in the area. I also make sure to stay in touch with old friends. Social media is a big help for me because I can message my friends and still keep up with them when they post things.

Less than 1% of the U.S. population currently serves in the military (Council on Foreign Relations, 2020); however, there are over 1.6 million military children, including 60% in active duty families (Department of Defense Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, 2020). In communities without a military presence, such as an installation nearby, military children can be a misunderstood group. Ella reflected on this.

There are assumptions from those who are not part of the military community that it must be so hard to have to move all the time and be far away from extended family and even your own parent at times. It is hard sometimes, but it has just become part of my life and who I am.

We asked Ella if she had any ideas for what individuals or communities can do to help military families feel welcome after a move.

Communities can help make military kids – or any new family, really – feel welcome when they move to the area. They can reach out to the new kid or the person you may not recognize in an activity you frequent. Just a simple introduction could make a world of difference for that kid or family and their experience of living in a new place.

We asked Ella if she had any advice for other military kids.

Don’t be afraid to get involved with things you are interested in when you go somewhere new and let your interests – whether it be a sport, instrument, or hobby – guide you to find new friends and a sense of belonging in an unknown place.

Military families often have limited say in where they are assigned and for how long the service member will be assigned to that location. Ella’s family will move at least twice while she attends college, and their second location is unknown at this point. We asked Ella how her experience as a military child has prepared her to go to college in a new town with her family many miles away.

Life as a military child has made me really excited to go to college. Though I have never lived alone before, my skills for making new friends and putting myself out there when I’m interested in something make me feel secure and confident about what’s next. I look forward to meeting new people and continuing to find myself in college.

In honor of the Month of the Military Child – April – the Thrive team of research professionals would like to offer our appreciation to military children everywhere. Thank you!

Ella’s active duty family member is an Army officer and is currently stationed at West Point, NY.

Calling all Professionals!

Join us for the second presentation in our Thrive Educational Series AT A NEWLY RESCHEDULED DATE on April 3, 2023, led by Dr. Celina Grassmyer. Dr. Grassmyer is a licensed clinical psychologist, practicing in Central Pennsylvania, who specializes in working with children and adolescents within rural outpatient and school-based settings.

Nearly 1.5 million school-aged children in the United States have at least one military-connected parent/caregiver. While many children adapt well, this presentation will emphasize signs of children’s mental health needs or social, emotional, and behavioral problems and ways to support struggling military-connected children. 

NEW Rescheduled Date: April 3, 2023

Time: 4pmEST

*1-hour of APA Continuing Education Credit is available.

Registration link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/9016681111034/WN_gNAS5jYgT6yJz1h3Rp8Lxw

Helping your child develop healthy behaviors and understand the social world around them is an important part of being a parent. Throughout your child’s development, you will have opportunities to build a foundation that can help your child experience healthy growth. This established foundation could, then, influence the way they treat others as they move forward in life. Instilling in your child a good understanding of socially acceptable behaviors could enhance their ability to be a healthy communicator and engage in positive interactions with others. However, there will be times when your child will make social mistakes during their interactions with others.

Social mistakes refer to minor missteps that individuals make when they communicate with others. These mistakes can, oftentimes, be easily fixed or addressed, but they may cause ourselves and those around us some embarrassment or discomfort. Because children are just learning how to socialize in positive and effective ways, they are more prone to making social mistakes. For example, a child who has been taught to be honest may not have the understanding or forethought to not offer negative or unflattering thoughts or comments on someone’s weight or appearance. When these types of mishaps occur, adults can gently address the blunder, help the child understand what socially appropriate norms are and how to use them, and encourage the child to engage with others in a more positive way.

So, how can we, as parents, help our children learn how to navigate social mistakes and learn from them? The following are some ideas and/or strategies that we can use as we talk to our children about their social interactions. Included in each of these considerations are some reflections that may help you lead your child through these situations.

Separate our feelings from our child’s needs.

When a social slip occurs, we, as parents, need to make sure we are taking care of our child’s needs and not communicating our own thoughts and worries. Consider a time when you had to set your own feelings aside when your child behaved in a way that caused you to have negative emotions such as anger or embarrassment.

• What was the emotion you were feeling at the time?
  • Example: You felt embarrassed when your child made a comment about someone’s weight and others heard.
• What was your response to your child at that moment?
• What are some approaches you can take to help make these positive teaching moments?
  • Example: You may respond, in the moment, to your child with a comment like, “Everyone’s bodies are different, and we do not always need to point out differences.”

Mistakes reflect the process of growth.

Everyone makes mistakes; it’s an important part of learning. Think of some of the mistakes your child has made recently.

• What are some of the mistakes your child has recently made?
  • Example: Your child asked everyone in her classroom to their birthday party except one girl.
• How did you help your child learn from these mistakes?
• Which mistakes were you able to turn into teaching moments?

Make difficult conversations “normal.”

Having difficult conversations in a positive way can tell your child that they can talk to you about anything. Consider times when your child has asked you difficult or uncomfortable questions.

• What are some of the challenging topics your child has asked you about?
  • Example: Your child asked why your neighbors only have one old car?
• Did you respond honestly, calmly, and objectively to all these questions?
• Were there questions that you answered in a less than honest way? If so, how, or why?

Model how to solve problems, even minor ones.

Especially when they are young, your child will look to you to understand how to react to situations. Consider times when you have been experiencing negative emotions and have had to interact with your child.

• What happened in those moments?
  • Example: Your child is present when you and your partner’s conversation begins to involve strong, possibly negative emotions.
• What were some actions you took that helped you behave in a positive way?
• What are some things you can do to continue modeling good behavior to your child?
  • Example: You and your partner refrain from raising your voices and focus on solving the problem rather than blaming each other.

Use open-ended questions to create dialogue.

Sometimes, just letting your child talk about events or their ideas is a great way to have meaningful conversations with them. Think of times when open-ended questions have helped you have a meaningful discussion with your child.

• What did your child say that made you ask an open-ended question?
  • Example: Your child mentioned that it was fun playing with Brad in the pool even though Brad uses a wheelchair, so you ask, “Why would you think it would not be fun to play with Brad?”
• In what ways did your child, or yourself, grow from the conversation?
• How can you make these conversations happen more frequently?

Prioritize the process over the product.

Children need to understand that their decisions and actions will produce an outcome or consequence, and that outcome or consequence can be good or bad. Consider times when you helped your child realize a deeper understanding of their decision making.

• How did you help your child start to think a little more about what was happening?
  • Example: Your child causes a classmate to cry by making a comment about the way a classmate talks.
• Was your child able to understand how their thoughts and actions created an outcome?
• How can you continue to help develop their understanding of this?
  • Example: You can explain that pointing out people’s differences in public can make them upset.

Respect the need for privacy.

There may be times that you are in an environment where having a full discussion with your child is not possible or appropriate. Consider a time that this happened to you.

• What did you say in the moment to help your child understand this time or place was not appropriate for a discussion?
  • Example: During their sibling’s piano recital your child begins to loudly exclaim how bored they are. You take your child aside, if possible, and tell them you are there to support their sibling and you can talk about their thoughts and feelings after you get home from the event.
• Was your child able to connect with the event when you had a chance to talk to them in private?

Engage in regular self-care.

To be a better parent or caregiver, you might want to try to practice some level of self-care.

• What are some of the things that you currently do to take care of yourself?
  • Example: Finding brief moments in the day to write in your journal.
• Are there changes that you could make to help yourself practice better self-care?
  • Example: Trying to, go to bed earlier so you have time to read a book or magazine that you enjoy.
• Is there a way to practically make this happen?
  • Example: Starting bedtime routines 15 minutes earlier in the evening

As a parent or caregiver, you have opportunities to help your child develop good communication skills. Having good communication skills will enhance your child’s ability to engage in healthy relationships as they grow. Talking to your child about social mistakes can help them understand how to minimize hurtful behavior, develop social skills, and be a good communicator as they move forward in life. Furthermore, learning these lessons, while young, can help improve your child’s social skills and overall well-being.

To learn more about harmful behaviors and other parenting topics, be sure to check out Thrive’s online resources, including the upcoming supplemental parenting module, Harmful Behaviors: Recognize. Respond. Repair.

Everyone has preferences on what foods they enjoy and what foods they don’t like. Children are no different! The American Academy of Pediatrics (2018) suggests that parents should offer a variety of foods to their children when they start introducing solids. (Information on introducing solids can be found here!)

But, parents of adolescents, who are well beyond the introduction to solid foods, may be wondering what they can do if their child is a picky eater?! Maybe your adolescent has issues with or concerns about trying different foods, or, maybe, they only want to eat their favorite foods. The good news is that there are strategies available to help you, the parent, encourage your older child to be more adventurous with food and to move towards eating a more balanced diet! Each tip, listed below, includes an example of how you can use the strategy presented and work with your adolescent to improve their food choices and eating habits.

Be Positive

Mealtimes can be a time for sharing and connecting. Try to stay positive and avoid becoming frustrated when your choosy eater insists on only eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or pasta with butter night after night. Instead, concentrate on the conversation, so your child can see that mealtimes are pleasant and positive times that do not need to be stressful or full of conflict. Keep your conversation engaging, and focus on topics that your child is interested in. Don’t mention worries or struggles around eating, just allow mealtime to be an engaging social time that encourages connection.

Consider trying the strategy outlined below:
Sit down in a specific place (e.g., kitchen table) that is away from screens for your family meals. Ask for each member to share one positive experience they had that day. Try to focus on how that experience made each person feel, and allow the conversation to flow.  Doing this allows everyone to focus on the social interaction they are experiencing, and bonding that can come as a result, and to shift their attention away from any negative thoughts about food.

Talk About It

Have conversations about food with your child at times when you are not eating. Talk to them about what they like and why they like it. Have them describe the different textures, smells, and tastes that they enjoy. Have them describe the feeling or taste with words other than “yucky” or “gross” (Cleveland Clinic, 2022), so you both understand what they like and why they like it. Knowing this can help you find new foods that may be similar to what they already enjoy and find pleasant to eat (AAP, 2018).

Consider trying one of the strategies listed below:
Identify your child’s favorite foods. What do they like about those foods? Try offering descriptive words like salty, crunchy, smooth, sweet, and warm. Mention other foods that fit their descriptions, and make a plan to try a few of these new foods in a taste-testing experiment and include the whole family.  For example, your child may tell you they like how crunchy chips or pretzels are. So, try offering vegetable or fruit chips to match the crunchiness that they like.

Identify a food your child says they do not like. Have they actually tried it? If they have, what about it did they not like? Maybe they didn’t like how lumpy it was, or, maybe, the texture was strange to them. If they have not tried the food, ask them why. What is it about the food item that makes them not want to try it? Can you find any foods that they do like that are similar? For example, your child may not want to try broccoli, but they do like cauliflower. You can show them how they look and feel similar!

Let Them Help

Look through kid friendly cookbooks with your adolescent for recipes (make sure there are pictures to go with the recipe), and find something that your child wants to make with you. Remind them that you both will, at least, try a bite. When you go to the grocery store, ask your child to help pick out the ingredients for the recipe they’ve chosen. This allows them to feel some control over what they eat and can make them excited about the food they are willing to try (AAP, 2018). Make sure that you are willing to try new food recipes and food items with them (McCarthy, 2020).

Consider trying the strategy outlined below:
With your child, prepare a recipe that includes one of your child’s favorite foods with a food that your child wants to try. For example, if your child likes alfredo sauce with pasta, consider adding in a vegetable they are willing to try, like broccoli. Or, if your child really enjoys pizza, have them pick out a new vegetable that they can add to their favorite toppings. Allow them to have some control over what they eat, but still limit their choices to ensure that they are making healthier decisions

Experimenting with new foods can help encourage children to become more adventurous eaters and can add some fun and family connection to help make mealtimes enjoyable for the entire family. Your child will not like every food they try; you don’t like all foods either. But, keep exploring ways to offer new choices so your child can see that new foods don’t have to be scary, and that you respect their choices and boundaries along the way!

Calling all Professionals!

Join us for the second presentation in our Thrive Educational Series on March 22, 2023, led by Dr. Celina Grassmyer. Dr. Grassmyer is a licensed clinical psychologist, practicing in Central Pennsylvania, who specializes in working with children and adolescents within rural outpatient and school-based settings.

Nearly 1.5 million school-aged children in the United States have at least one military-connected parent/caregiver. While many children adapt well, this presentation will emphasize signs of children’s mental health needs or social, emotional, and behavioral problems and ways to support struggling military-connected children. 

Date: March 22, 2023

Time: 4pmEST

*1-hour of APA Continuing Education Credit is available.

Registration link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/9016681111034/WN_gNAS5jYgT6yJz1h3Rp8Lxw

Some coparents share the same parenting style while other coparents may use different parenting styles. Some coparents have similar ideas regarding how to reach the goals they have for their themselves, their children, and their family, while other coparents may have very different ideas on how to reach those goals. These differences can create conflicts for coparents as they strive to raise their children together.

Conflicts can occur between coparents when they have different parenting styles and approaches or different goals. Coparents need to discuss the differences in their parenting expectations and goals with each other and develop a plan for how to address those differences when challenges arise. A few tips to help you get on the same page as your coparent are as follows:

COORDINATE your parenting styles and approaches. Coparents need to coordinate their parenting styles and approaches with each other to help them realize their parenting goals. If coparents recognize and understand their counterpart’s parenting style similarities and differences, the coparents can work together to utilize the different styles to help their child develop in a positive way.

So how do coparents manage their own parenting style and their partner’s style and coordinate their aspirations? Coparents can set goals for their child’s development together and discuss how they will use their parenting styles to accomplish these goals. For example, if one of your parenting goals is help your child develop critical thinking, how will you and your coparent’s style coordinate to facilitate this development? If one of you has a more authoritative parenting style, how will this approach be managed, in a way that still facilitates your child’s critical-thinking development?

MANAGE your coparenting differences. It is very unlikely that you and your coparenting partner will agree on everything. Positive parenting does not rely on both parents being in complete agreement on all things. Parents can develop plans about how to approach expected differences ahead of time, so they can better respond to these situations. However, parents could have ideas or approaches that they may seem unwilling to compromise on. Can you think of any of these non-negotiable parenting expectations? If you have some of these immovable ideas, you could clearly explain to your coparent why you have these thoughts or beliefs and explain why they are so important to you. If your coparent has strong stances that you don’t share, you could ask them to explain what those expectations are and why they are inflexible. Remember, keep an open mind and be willing to remain flexible when needed.

Establish and set GOALS. Parenting goals look different for each family. Some families will set goals based on their child’s recent behavior. Some goals will be long-term goals, like helping your child develop better study plans. Other goals may be shorter term such as identifying some chores that your child can help with. Goals can also be focused on broader topics such as child behavior, or they can address your behavior (e.g., spending more time with the family, learning to better listen to your partner). Whatever goals you have, be sure to coordinate and manage these goals with your coparent. Coparents will not always see eye to eye, but, if they can talk things through and understand each other’s perspectives, they will be able to find compromises that will benefit the whole family’s well-being.

Setting and reaching parenting goals are important tasks that coparents must address to benefit their child’s development. When coparents perform and complete these tasks, they are also exhibiting good role modeling behaviors. Understanding your own and your coparent’s parenting style and each other’s child-development expectations can help you and your coparent meet your parenting goals. There will most likely be conflict along the way, but with a little work and planning, you and your coparent can decrease future frustrations and be successful in your coparenting journey.

To learn more about coparenting and other parenting topics, be sure to check out Thrive’s online resources, including the supplemental parenting module, Coparenting: Coordinated. Cooperative. United. https://thrive.psu.edu/modules/supplemental