How Being a Noncustodial Mother Changed My Life As I sit here beginning to type this, I wonder if a more appropriate blog may be how it hasn’t changed my life. That would certainly be shorter to write about. Then again, there may not be any content at all. To put it succinctly, being a noncustodial mother has changed my life in every way imaginable. Here, I will do my best to shed some light on a few key points….
Don’t let the title of this blog fool you. Being a noncustodial mother (ncm) is no walk in the park. I’ve handled my fair share of issues poorly. Still, there are many I am proud of handling correctly. Those are the ones in the spotlight today. Here I share some ways I was able to be a noncustodial mother with grace. Being a noncustodial mother isn’t glamorous. It can go from bad to worse to even worse in no time…
The 2020 pandemic and resulting quarantine cascaded its side effects through all our homes. While many followed mandatory orders to shelter in place, it caused a colossal question to families with children who share their time between homes. Even as quarantine is coming to an end, the parental tug of war is still going strong for many. Seeing a variety of outcomes for families, I thought I’d recount my experience from quarantine as a noncustodial mother. Noncustodial Motherhood From previous…
Quarantine may be winding down for some, but for us we are still under #stayhome orders for a while. The ongoing nature of social isolation can be overbearing. Recently when we were anticipating a lift of these stay home orders, I wrote about what I was looking forward to after quarantine. However, I found myself wistfully thinking about what I’d miss at the same time. So today I’m here to document what I’m thankful for during quarantine. Just Be Slower…
As the Covid-19 pandemic is still raging throughout the world, many of us find ourselves still sheltering safely at home. While there are some places beginning to open back up to “normal” that isn’t the case where we are. Often throughout this quarantine I found myself wishing things were different or wanting so badly to go to some places I love. So, if for no other purpose than to keep myself busy and out of the pantry for a bit,…
Noncustodial parenting during coronavirus. Not a topic I intended or ever imagined would be a thing. With all the uncertainty in the world and much disruption to our daily lives and habits, I felt compelled to make a post. Right now anxiety is high and questions run rampant for many families. Even more so for those in divorced or separated family situations. As you may know, I too am in such a situation. Likewise, I am having the questions, anxiety,…
The holidays are shortly upon us. If you’re a noncustodial parent like me, you’re putting the final plans on those holiday child visitation arrangements and getting more and more excited. The holidays often mean a bigger visitation stretch than normal for us, and that is a gift in itself. I hope you are as lucky as I am to get to plan for special times together just ahead. As joyful as reuniting during the holidays is, gifting during these occasions…
Back to school time is an exciting time of year as children and families prepare for a new school year. It is filled with tours of schools, enrollment paperwork, shopping for supplies, and eager anticipation to learn about new teachers and more. Parents are often seen going through these processes with their children hand in hand. First day of school photos have become a trending feature with kids dressed their best and posing with their supplies or letterboard proclaiming their…
I started this blog years ago at a time of a lot of change in my life. Quickly it became a calming outlet to try and reach others like me. I never thought there actually could be more like me. In fact, I hoped there weren’t others like me. Non-custodial mothers. Over time it was clear I was not alone. It was a bittersweet realization. It caused hurt to my heart knowing too well the ailment of another mother, and…
I remember the day vividly. The day I lost custody of my little girl. I knew it would probably end up this way, but nothing could have prepared me for being a non-custodial mother. Being a non-custodial mother is a rare breed. So rare I thought I must be the only one. I guess in a way I hoped I was the only one. I would never wish this painful experience on any other mother. Alas, the world is a…