Instead of wearing my heart on my sleeve I set an example for Bryella and put my feelings aside. I stay strong and wear my “game face”. I don’t allow our current circumstances to define my emotions. Brandon and I are equally a part of Bryella’s life and that is a part of sacrificing one hundred percent of the control. My controlling personality at times makes Bryella traveling to Illinois difficult and challenging, but the respect I have for our co-parenting relationship takes over and I’m able to be at peace with knowing she is in good hands when traveling. Arthur, Illinois is Bryella’s second home. The town is very small and are occupied with friendly folks in every direction you look. Horses and buggies cruising around with the sound of whips cracking just enough to hear it “pop” and make them trot. The town is very safe and that factors into the peace of mind I have while she is away. The decision to allow Bryella to travel is defiantly in itself a huge sign of respect for her father. I really take into consideration the fact that I would absolutely want him to let her go with me if the tables were turned. Showing Brandon an equal amount of respect has gone a long way with our co-parenting relationship. Respect is a huge line and boundary in any relationship, but especially in one with two parents trying to raise a child in two different …show more content…
Brandon and I have had to form and build an incredible amount of trust in our co-parenting relationship. We have both had to forget all of the times the trust might have been broken throughout our relationship, and remember that those feelings and events have to be left in the past. It takes a head strong person to sift through whether uneasy feelings and lack of trust are because of your child’s mother or father’s current actions or past things they have done in your relationship. When I pack Bryella’s bags and load her up to travel to Illinois I’ve had to establish trust in Brandon’s judgment as a parent. A piece of mind is better than anything in this world and when I accomplished that it made for a smoother weekend. I have had to retrain my mind how to think to obtain that piece of mind, and to accomplish the trust in our relationship. After achieving that piece of mind it has been as if a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. A lack of mutual trust in a co-parenting relationship will leave bundled up emotions and make for an unhealthy environment for any child