Friends and family might offer their help and support as you are parenting solo. However, they often don’t know what to do to be helpful and it may be hard for you to identify what they can do when they offer.

Be an eParent®! Like and share pages or websites relevant to your child and his or her activities or needs with important adults in your child’s life.

This can be as simple as sharing online school and extracurricular schedules with your co-parent to communicate upcoming events. You can also bookmark pages about more complex issues, such as helping a child cope with emotions during separation. When the caring, important adults in your child’s life are on the same page, your child repeatedly hears consistent messages. Having predictable boundaries and knowing what answers to expect can help children of all ages feel safe when other parts of their lives feel out of control.

Consider directing friends and family members to websites like Parenting 24/7 and search for articles that highlight what your child (or you!) are struggling with at the moment.

Learn more about the University of Wisconsin – Madison/Extension Human Development & Relationships Institute online or on Facebook.