Diary Of A Sentimental Heart pt. 11: On Co-Parenting

navigating a life where you’re always a parent, but just not always with your child.

I've just had the first day with my little boy after a weekend with his dad. Although I feel like I squeeze every drop out of our time together, it’s these days I tend to grasp onto and colour with a peach-tinted hue at the joy of being with one another again. The small moments I take for granted, the chitter chatter in the back of the car, cutting up his lunch into small triangles, rolling up jeans, cuffs and pulling up socks and undone laces. ‘Be careful of the people walking!!’ as we scoot along the road and raisins spotting the bottom of each and every bag after a day out together.

Of all of the things I’ve learnt about myself in the last few years, navigating co-parenting, much like so many aspects of looking after a child, has been an emotional learning curve. The to-and-froing of togetherness and quality time and the lingering quiet when another pick up rolls around. As important and special as that time spent with the other parent is and everything it counts for, it never seems to get much easier. It’s a very particular type of sadness (which is constantly flecked with a shadow of gratitude that you know the other parent is still there and doing their best, most wonderful job too) and navigating a life where you’re always a parent, but just not always with your child.