Tag Archives: the ex

Is it Better to Say Nothing at All About the Other Parent?

I know that I am not alone in that I was brought up with the social rule: “If you can’t say something nice, then do not say anything at all.” As a single parent, we have also been told that we should not share our negative opinions of the child’s other parent with the child. We are supposed to say only positive things about the other parent. But, what if we just can’t? Is it better to not say anything at all? Some experts would say “Yes.” It IS better to say as little as possible, or nothing at all … Continue reading →

Watch Using the Term “Dead Beat” in Front of Your Kids

I know that for many single parents, extracting financial support for a child is a major, stressful issue. I also know that the term “dead beat”—usually pertaining to dads, but it doesn’t always have to be—has become entrenched in our popular culture and the language we use when we talk about divorce and single parenting issues. But, do we really want to use the term “dead beat” in front of our child to describe his or her other parent? It’s hard! I know this first hand and even if we understand that we shouldn’t be saying anything negative about our … Continue reading →