Transition days are the WORST

Nov 25·1 min read

Monday mornings when I drop the kids at school after having them the weekend hit different. My 5yo gets clingy, my 9yo is grumpy, and I'm trying not to cry in the carpool line.

Then when I pick them up from their mom on Friday afternoon they're either hyped up or emotionally distant depending on what they did that week. The inconsistency is killing me. How long does this take to get "normal"? We've been doing this for 18 months.

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Comments(4)

MMike R.New Dad1d ago

That emotional whiplash is the worst part of co-parenting honestly. You're trying to be there for them but also not act like you're sad to leave because then THEY feel worse. It's exhausting.

DDom F.Regularjust now

Friday afternoons our kids act like they've been in witness protection for a year. It's either 100mph hyper or they barely want to talk to me. Takes like an hour of being home before they normalize.

NNick G.Regular1d ago

Man those Monday mornings absolutely hit different. The clingy phase is rough. Our 6yo gets all quiet and withdrawn and doesn't snap out of it until Wednesday sometimes.

TThomas H.Regularjust now

Have you tried doing something with them right after pickup instead of going straight home? Like a walk or ice cream? Sometimes breaking up the transition helps them reset before they get home.