Are You Honoring Your Children’s Rights?

When we are in the heat of conflict with our co-parent, we sometimes have a tendency to make the relationship about us. Whether we are willing to admit it or not, so much of drama between mothers and fathers who are no longer together stems from the anger and hurt we experience when we feel disrespected, unappreciated or slighted. Certainly we care about our children, and certainly we may have some legitimate complaints; but, for many of us, if we get really real with ourselves, look-in-the-mirror-and-acknowlege-the-bump-on-your-nose honest, a major part of our beef is all about us.

But, the truth is, it can’t be. Sure, we deserve to be respected, appreciated and treated fairly. At the center of this, though, are our children. And, our decision to become parents makes this about them and what they deserve, too.

The Bill of Rights for Children of Divorce, written by M. Debra Gold, outlines several basic, but not always so simple to deliver, protections we owe our children. It provides an ideal to which we can all aspire as we navigate our way through the challenges and victories of raising our children together.

We encourage you to read it, print it and refer to it often:

Every child has the right to love and be loved by both parents.

Every child has the right to parents who respect the child’s relationship with the other parent.

Every child has the right to continuing care and guidance from both parents.

Every child has the right to parents who treat one another with integrity and respect.

Every child has the right to freely communicate with both parents in privacy.

Every child has the right to be free of their parents’ hostilities and conflicts.

Every child has the right to freedom from guilt or blame.

Every child has the right to parents who cooperate with one another when it comes to the children.

Every child has the right to be heard.

Every child has the right to live the life of a child throughout minority.

Every child has a right to a safe and secure environment in their parents’ custody.

Every child has the right to financial support from both parents.

Source: M. Debra Gold, Bill of Rights for Children of Divorce.

WeParent is a community of parents and parent advisers striving to give our children one of the keys to a happy, healthy and fulfilled life…strong families. We are on a mission to support and uplift African-American mothers and fathers, like us, who are living apart but parenting TOGETHER.

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