A Disneyland parent is essentially a parent who rarely enforces household
rules, showers the children with extravagant gifts, and shirks most parental
responsibilities to earn their favor. If your co-parent is a Disneyland
parent, you might worry you are not a fun enough parent and feel that
you have to carry the burden of being the more responsible parent. Remember,
co-parenting is not a competition. No matter what your co-parent gives
your children, love cannot be purchased.
How to Handle a Disneyland Co-Parent
More often than not, the Disneyland parent is the non-custodial parent.
If your co-parent feels guilty about being less involved in the children’s
lives, he or she might believe being more indulgent can make up for it.
Your co-parent might also think that being the more fun parent can turn
the children against you. Whatever the reason behind your co-parent’s
actions, we have some advice that can help you address the situation.
Here are some tips for you to consider:
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Talk to your co-parent: One of the quickest ways to go about dealing with your co-parent’s
actions is to simply bring it up. If you wish to be effective, however,
try not to be accusatory or confrontational when you discuss it. Your
co-parent might not even realize how hurtful these actions are, so try
to go about this initial discussion with a cool temperament.
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Your co-parent is going to burn out: All fun and no rules can get more than a little exhausting. Cleaning up
after allowing the kids to run wild and spending vast sums of money on
gifts are not sustainable routines for most people, so you can expect
your Disneyland co-parent to burn out eventually.
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Do not become overly strict: Just because your co-parent is trying hard to be more fun, does not mean
you need to compensate for this behavior by becoming an excessively strict
parent. You need to focus on your relationship with your children instead
of thinking you need to become the bad cop to keep them in line. The relationship
you have with them should not be affected by the relationship they have
with your ex-spouse.
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Nothing can replace genuine love and affection: The gifts your children receive might very well be incredible, but there
is no substitution for a real connection with your children. Be present
in your children’s lives and make sure they feel loved and cared
for when they are with you.
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Seek legal guidance: Not every co-parenting issue belongs in court, but if you feel like the
situation is negatively affecting your children’s wellbeing and
development, consider reaching out to an attorney for the skilled help you need.
Discuss Your Case with a Family Law Attorney Today!
If your former spouse is a Disneyland co-parent and you believe it is harming
your children, reach out to the team at the Law Office of Kathryn Marteeny
for the legal guidance you need.
Call our law office at (713) 936-2300 to schedule a consultation.