Just Like Starting Over
Introducing a New Partner to Your Children
Everyone knows that divorce is hard on children. No matter their age, they’ll need to go through a period of mourning and adjustment. A parent’s new relationship can reopen old wounds, so introducing a new partner to your kids is a delicate process. Here are three tips to help make your first meeting a success. DON’T RUSH IN. In general, kids take longer to process a divorce than the split couple does. Many children harbor fantasies of their parents getting back together, so a new partner can lead to anger and resentment. While you can quietly date earlier, wait at least a year or two before introducing any love interests to your kids. Further, rotating adults entering and exiting their lives will confuse children and make them feel insecure. Ensure the relationship has progressed to a point where it feels stable and likely permanent before introductions. PLAN AHEAD. Always have a conversation with a new partner before introducing them to your kids. They may feel it’s too soon or not be prepared to handle your children’s potentially strong emotions. If you co-parent, give your ex a heads-up as well — they’ll find out from the kids, anyway, so they should be prepared in advance. Kids can feel threatened
by having a new person in their house, so pick a neutral location for the first meeting, like a playground or a zoo. Finally, keep the introduction relatively short; too much too soon can backfire. GIVE THEM TIME TO PROCESS. Even if you do everything right, your kids will have feelings about your relationship and a new adult entering their lives. Give them space to process their emotions after the first meeting, but also check in on how they’re feeling. It will remind them that they’re your top priority and make them feel safer about sharing their thoughts. Even if the introduction goes well, give your children time to warm up to your new partner — you’re not going to become a family overnight. Start with short, occasional interactions and work your way up. You know your children best, so when planning your first meeting, take their ages and temperaments into account. Above all, make sure your kids know their relationship with you hasn’t changed — and you love them just as much as ever.
Have a LAUGH
Chicken With Lemon Herb Sauce
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland with this citrusy chicken!
Ingredients
• • • •
1/3 cup and 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
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1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1/3 cup mint, chopped
4 boneless chicken breasts 1 clove of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 lemon, for juice and zest
Directions
1. 2.
Preheat oven to 450 F.
In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper if desired and sear it in the skillet for 3 minutes on each side. Bake chicken until its internal temperature is 165 F. 4. In a blender, add 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, parsley, mint, pepper, and lemon zest and juice and blend ingredients until coarsely mixed. 5. Top chicken with sauce and serve
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