I fought this fight for two years and now my sons live with me. Some suggestions:
1) Resist the urge to fight fire with fire. Make sure the children know the reasons why you got married and what is good about their other parent.
2) Make sure your children understand that you and their other parent will do this out of your brokenness.
3) Resist the temptation to feel betrayed when they like things about being with the other parent.
4) Keep in contact. Exercise every moment of possession you have available.
5) Reduce opportunities for conflict. If given the option, pick up school-age children from school and return them to school. You can designate other adults if your job interferes. I have hired a car more than once.
6) Forgive, forgive, forgive. This is the best way to teach your children how.
“4) Keep in contact. Exercise every moment of possession you have available”
I thank God I worked for a company that was flexible in this regard. For 10 years I left work at 3:05 most every day to pick up the kids from school with maybe 1 out of 10 times the ex would do it.
Some relief when the oldest got his driver’s license and would pick up Jr.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!