What’s Hard

• Logistics and coordination are complexes between two houses.
• Rules are different. How do you manage that?
• Food can be very different (Vegan, Paleo, etc..)
• No Settling
• Understanding the differences between the houses and parenting styles
• Losing things, Clothes, towels, school books
• Transitions - Forgetting things, going back and forth.
• Responsibility at a young age.
• Being in the middle of the parents.

Benefits

• Two Christmas mornings, Two thanksgivings, two birthdays, double the vacations
• Bonus Parent - Help you navigate your relationship with your bio parent, expand your possibilities
• Learn Responsibility

Tips & Tricks

• Make your step parent an ally
• Understand your parents are trying their best. They are not perfect.
• Set boundaries with your parents and step-parents
• Time is limited, so set expectations. This is true when you are adults coming back to visit.
• Setting a schedule and communicating it.
• Get comfortable with awkward
• Take time for transitions
• Buy toiletries, clothes, and things for both houses.
• Get two sets of textbooks from the school if possible.
• Don’t have a primary house. Create your own space in both houses, or don’t create your own space at all.
• Find someone to talk to about the situation.

Lemonade Moment of the Week

Links

• https://www.womansdivorce.com/living-in-two-homes.html