Oct. 18, 2022

When Partners Parent Differently

When Partners Parent Differently

Do you and your partner disagree about how to discipline your child? Is it getting in the way of parenting successfully? Molly and Blaire discuss why it’s important to be a united parenting front and simple, actionable steps for making it happen.

What do you do when you and your partner disagree about parenting styles? How does it affect your kids, and how do you manage to get on the same page as your co-parent?

A listener wrote in to say:

"I'm an expat mom in Europe with a husband from another European country. And sometimes it's really hard to find my bearings when there are so many styles and ways to parent. I wanted to ask if you could maybe do an episode about what to do when your co-parent has a different parenting style...We have so may disagreements and we seem to always get to the point where each of us is convinced the other one is wrong and it is the OTHER parenting style that is disrupting the children's behavior. It's hard on the kids and the marriage when all I want is the very best for my very spirited, trilingual two- and five-year-old boys."

Natural differences between spouses can be a source of strength, but the scale can tip too far in one direction. Blaire and Molly discuss why it's important to co-parent as a united team, helpful rules for disciplining effectively as a unit in the moment, and how to genuinely empathize with both your child and partner without undermining anyone.

Being honest and vulnerable with our parenting partner is key, and remember: it's never too late to start parenting more harmoniously.

Here links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:

Debbie Pincus for EmpoweringParents.com: "When Parents Disagree: How to Parent as a Team"

Caroline Silver for Parents: "How to Parent with a Partner When You Can't Agree on a Parenting Style"

Special thanks to our sponsors for this month:

AprilAire is Healthy Air, with professional-grade solutions filling millions of homes. To find out more about the AprilAire Healthy Air System®, visit www.aprilaire.com/laughing

DockAtot is the premium lifestyle brand made for the modern parent, with elegant cushions, swaddlers, and more. Get 15% off at dockatot.com with the code LAUGHING.

Honeylove shapewear is the secret sauce you need for your everyday wardrobe. Get 20% off at honeylove.com with the code LAUGHING. 

Metabolic Reds is a delicious superfood blend. Go to getreds.com/toddler to get a FREE bottle of Metabolic Greens with your first order. 

Misfits Market is an affordable online grocery service that makes shopping easy, quick, and fun.Visit get.misfitsmarket.com/LAUGHING30 by Dec. 31st to get 30% off your first order.

Ready, Set, Food! helps prevent food allergies in children. Go to readysetfood.com/todpurgs & use code TODPURGS for 30% off your first order. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices