Relationships dont always work out but most of the time it leaves people with beautiful memories and sometimes beautiful children as well. Thus even when a relationship sadly ends in a divorce, it is still a very good idea if both parties can learn to take things with maturity in order to protect the beautiful fruits of their relationship which is their wonderful children. CO-parenting is one way to do this.
Although most people dont get to maintain an amicable relationship after a divorce Codie LaChelle McPhates dad is one man that has really mastered the act of co-parenting and together with his ex-wife has managed to keep his kids happy despite being divorced.
Even after 28 years of their divorce, McPhates dad is not only very much around and an active part of his life, but he still finds ways of helping put his ex-wife whenever there is a need for it. McPhate recently caught her dad in one of such acts and decided to snap a photo and share her fathers story online.
This is my dad, mowing my moms lawn. Theyve been divorced 28 years. My mom has bad knees, and my stepdad works out of town. When my younger siblings questioned, Why is your dad mowing moms lawn? I told them, Because, she needed help, and he knew she couldnt get out here to do it, so he did., McPhate she wrote on Love What Matters.
McPhate knows how lucky she is to have such wonderful parents who have learned to put their kids ahead and co-parent despite their differences.
This is co-parenting. This is how lucky I am to have 4 parents who respect each other, and know that at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is showing your children (Even ones that are 32-years-old) how to treat people, and how to love your family, no matter how it came together, McPhate wrote.
Learning to co-parent might be hard considering the differences that led to the divorce and all the bitterness associated with the sometimes messy process. But experts say co-parenting is of immense benefits to children. it has a way of affecting the childs behavior and their emotions as well. And help them get through the difficult experience of separated parents with as little scars as possible.
This is not to mention that it makes the kids proud of their parents as well, just as McPhate was.
My dad is with me in Texas on vacation. He doesnt even live here where my mom lives. So not only did he do something selflessly for her, he did it for her while he was on his VACATION.
He wants everyone to know, Im no saint. He just wants to show others that you dont need to act like an angelic pastor on Lent, but that we should all choose kindness whenever we can, she proudly wrote
Explaining from her parents perspective, McPhate explained what inspired them to make the decision to co-parent for the sake of their kids. It wasnt for the attention or recognition or anything of that sort.
He said my mom and he decided when they were going through their divorce they would both choose to be adults and treat each other with respect and compassion, because no matter how their marriage ended, they both loved each other very much at one point, and that, that love counts for something.
That if they were going to raise their children to be good, kind people, they needed to be good kind people, McPhate explained
McPhates post about her dad quickly went viral and garnered more than 19,000 shares. Obviously many people agree with the strong message her post is sending to couples going through a divorce. It might not be easy, but they owe their kids that much.
