Ouch! If being a teenage mom wasn’t hard enough, things just got harder for the MTV’s 16 and Pregnant star, Maci Bookout.  After splitting up with her baby daddy Ryan Edwards, the devoted Teen Mom star tells US Weekly that she and her ex-beau have a hard time agreeing on how their son Bentley should be raised. She talks about how she struggled to ween her 22-month-old son off his pacifier, and learned that Edwards gives Bentley his pacifier whenever the child is with him. Bookout says, “I think Ryan spoils Bentley and really has no boundaries as far as discipline. With me, I don’t want Bentley to grow up and be a brat when he’s 4 years old.”
What do you do when you and your ex can’t agree on how to raise your child?
Cupid’s Advice:
Raising a child can be very difficult. Co-parenting with different views can make things even worse. Cupid has some tips to make things easier:
1. Compromise: If you and your ex can’t agree on something, then it’s best if both parties relinquish a little control and find middle ground that will ultimately benefit your child.
2. Communicate: It’s important that both parents put their differences aside and talk things out with one another. Poor communication opens the door for children to manipulate situations to his or her benefit. If your child can’t have desert this week, then your ex needs to know that, too! Worst-case scenarios can lead to a child not being picked up after school or missing important medical treatments.
3. Equality: Don’t throw all responsibility at one parent. It makes for a more civil atmosphere and better upbringing for your child if you and your ex share an equal amount of the responsibility.
