How do you handle parenting disagreements?

Apr 301 min read

My ex and I split 2 years ago and we co-parent pretty well most of the time. But we completely disagree on screen time, sugar, and bedtimes. She lets them stay up until 9-10pm at her place when they have school at 8am. They come to me exhausted and grumpy. I've brought it up multiple times but she says I'm being controlling and she wants them to enjoy their time with her. Kids are 7 and 9. Do I just accept we parent differently and move on or is this something worth pushing back on? What's worked for other guys dealing with this?

3 comments123 views

Comments(3)

HHank L.RegularApr 30

Man, the screen time and sugar battles are real. What worked for us was picking ONE thing to align on first - we tackled bedtimes since that affects everything else. Once you find common ground on that, the other stuff gets easier to negotiate.

TTyler G.RegularApr 30

The key is knowing which battles matter most. With three kids, I learned quick that consistency on the big stuff (sleep, respect, safety) beats being rigid on everything. Pick your battles and give a little on the rest.

MMax R.RegularApr 30

Two years in and still getting along pretty well is honestly a win. I'd suggest sitting down with your ex and deciding what the non-negotiables are for each of you, then letting the smaller stuff slide. Kids can handle different rules at different houses.