Comments on: Reading Single Parent Blogs Could Save Marriages

By: Barry

Barry — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:27:11 +0000

Great to hear from you. When I speak of other terrific single dad websites, yours is on the list as one of the best. Thanks for commenting.

By: dadshouse

dadshouse — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:14:36 +0000

I’ve been blogging with single parents for a while now. While there are a few who bitch and moan about their ex, or worse, make generalizations about the opposite sex – you’re right that many single mom bloggers are very nice to us single dads. The ones I blog with have great discussions with me. We don’t always agree, and we usually get to learn a bit of the other’s perspective.
.-= dadshouse´s last blog ..Relationship Test – Who Picked the Wedding Cake? =-.

By: barryk

barryk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:21:25 +0000

Hi Tammi, thanks for sharing.
This is a tough one. It is almost impossible for you to take a back seat to parenting your son after 17 years. Your boyfriend however, does probably feel that he should be able to give advice to your son. By steping in the middle during the discussion, it does make him feel undermined and probably frustrated.

If you disagree with how he corrects or advises your son, it could be a deal breaker. After 17 years, you and your sons ways are pretty much set. You might want to have an honest conversation with your boyfriend and explain how difficult it is to have someone else give advice. It is not his fault, just something you have to deal with. I don’t think it is out of line to ask him to discuss parenting situations with you to have a unified front, before he goes ahead and gives advice.

However, at some point you have to trust him to give solid advice to your son or you have a problem. If you always counter his decisions, it will blow up. I am not sure how long your boyfriend has been around, which could change how you handle this. Of course, I am not a professional, just my opinion.

By: barryk

barryk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:11:41 +0000

Thanks Deesha. Amazing how your initial interest and advice expands as your site grows. I appreciate you stopping by and adding me to your list. I will make sure to do the same in return!

By: TAMMI

TAMMI — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:49:48 +0000

I have been a single mom for most of my son’s life (he’s 17 now). If I had known about single parent websites maybe I wouldn’t have married either of the men that I did, or maybe my second marriage would have survived, who knows. I now have my wonderful, talented teenage son and a boyfriend, they get along fine most of the time (boyfriend was raised by single mom also). I do seem to notice that when he tries to exercise his “Daddy” skills (sweety does not have any children, and can not create any), if I disagree with his idea for how to handle a situation I tend to get in the middle of it. He then tells me that I do this all the time and that he “should just not care” what my son does or how it is handled. My main issue is he takes parenting advice from his drugy cousins who have no part (and should not have any part) in raising any children. I do find it frustrating, as none of them know my son or how my son reacts to situations. Maybe I am just to close to him (after all we have been the only stable people in each others lives for the last 17 years) to have the right perspective. Maybe there are others out there dealing with the same thing, who might have opinions that can help. I do love my boyfriend and I appreciate that he accepts the fact that I and my son are a package deal at least for another year or two, I just wish he would not take advice from people who don’t know what they are talking about. Any thoughts would be helpful.

By: deesha

deesha — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:19:44 +0000

A thousand times, yes!

On my site, I find myself giving relationship advice that goes beyond co-parenting, and this has been a learning experience for me, personally and in terms of my own relationships, romantic as well as platonic.

And fyi, your site is going onto my blog roll today!
.-= deesha´s last blog ..Co-Parenting and Dating: Why He Won’t Introduce You to His Kids =-.

By: barryk

barryk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:18:06 +0000

Welcome Gerlaine! Single parent blogs are a wealth of information. Might even want to leave one on your screen when your boyfriend is nearby

By: barryk

barryk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:16:12 +0000

“I think they are just a gateway to making us better, period”

Perfectly said. Thanks Talibah

By: Gerlaine

Gerlaine — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:47:22 +0000

Knowing what its like to be a single parent, can be an eye opener for any married couple. We often can’t see the full scope of what we have until we don’t have it anymore. It is hard to see that the grass has patches on the other side of the fence. Even though we know things will not be perfect, often we are upset by the imperfections of our lives.

I am a single parent with a boyfriend with no children. He tries hard and I am a busy little mama that protects her little cub. Making it hard for him to execute his newly found daddy skills. Maybe I need to pay attention to some single parent blogs myself. Yours is the first one that I have seen!
.-= Gerlaine´s last blog ..Challenge Breakthrough! RiP MJ! =-.

By: Talibah

Talibah — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:52:31 +0000

I'm finding the same thing as I journey through this world of online parents. I think that sites like ours really do offer a great deal to the discussion that needs to be happening between *all* parents. My son's father and I were never married, but we're both convinced that the skills we're developing through our co-parenting journey will make us better partners to whomever we may end up building a life with in the future. The truth is that those skills and insights transcend co-parenting, frankly, even parenting. I think they are just a gateway to making us better, period. My two cents. Thanks for the love! .-= Talibah´s last blog ..MamaSpeak: Sex and the Single Mom =-.