HEALTHY FAMILIES FOR ETERNITY

ut most of us are not very good at it. Read
some good books, or attend a seminar that
will help you develop better skills to speak
with your ex-husband. It will also help you
when talking with your children and with
others.
6. Commit to being collegial and
cooperative
While you and your ex-husband can become
friends again, friendship is not needed to be civil
with each other. Set aside time to meet with him—
include new spouses—and develop a plan to communicate
better about your co-parenting activities.
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5. Be Proactive
The opposite of proactive is reactive, which
is a normal response when someone says
something we don’t like, or says something
that hurts. Challenge yourself to pause before
responding in such situations. When you
pause, you allow yourself to calm down and
you give your brain time to respond in a
rational way. You will find that not everything
needs a response.
7. When all else fails, take the high road
Even after you’ve tried all of these
suggestions, your ex-husband may not change
his bad behavior. Remember, you can only
control yourself. Make choices that will be best
for your peace of mind and ensure the wellbeing
of your daughter.
Trust God. He has promised to supply all
your needs. We are praying for your success.
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Scriptures quotations credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used
by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reprinted from article first appeared in the January/February 2015 issue of Message p. 13. Used with permission.
COPARENTING IN A TOXIC EX-RELATIONSHIP