Ever watched your child’s face twist with confusion? Up at night worrying about gaslighting and how to protect your child from the exact dynamics you experienced? We’re tackling the quiet damage of gaslighting in high-conflict co-parenting and sharing the exact words you can use to steady your kid without badmouthing your ex or dragging them into the middle. We start with validation on steroids. You’ll learn simple, easy to remember phrases that meet your child where they are, “I can s...

What happens when the already intense world of competitive youth sports collides with the complexities of co-parenting after divorce? Dr. Alec Baker, a psychologist specializing in both sports psychology and family dynamics, joins Dr. Royster to explore this challenging intersection where parental dreams, financial pressures, and children's wellbeing often compete for priority. Drawing from his background as a former competitive athlete whose career was cut short by injuries, Dr. Baker offer...

Ever wondered if your child is being gaslit by their other parent? Manipulated into questioning their own reality? You're not alone, and you're not being paranoid. Gaslighting - that subtle psychological manipulation where someone makes you question your own perceptions and memories - can be devastating for children caught in high-conflict co-parenting situations. When a child starts doubting what they saw, heard, or felt, it undermines their entire sense of security and trust. In this deep...

Overwhelmed by the advice to "document everything" in your high-conflict co-parenting situation? You're not alone. In this practical episode, Dr. Karalynn Royster tackles the documentation dilemma head-on, offering clear strategies to transform that mountain of screenshots into a manageable, effective system. Documentation serves three crucial purposes: creating an objective record of events for legal proceedings, helping you maintain emotional clarity, and most importantly, protecting your ...

Show Notes: Dr. Karalynn Royster invites child psychologist Dr. Julianne Monday to explore the connection between anxious moms and anxious kids, discussing how parental regulation impacts children's emotional development. They share practical strategies for breaking generational patterns and creating emotionally safe homes while addressing the pervasive issue of mom guilt. Key Points: • Dr. Monday's journey from early childhood teacher to child psychologist focused on anxious moms and...

Summary: Dr. Karalynn Royster explores how to respond when your child returns from their co-parent's home repeating confusing or inaccurate information. This episode provides practical guidance on validating your child's experience while maintaining appropriate boundaries that protect them from adult conflicts. Takeaways: • Children asking difficult questions shows they trust you enough to bring challenging topics to you • Your child is not trying to hurt you when repeating confusing informa...

Summary: Our neurobiological response to co-parenting stress often mirrors evolutionary survival mechanisms, triggering fight, flight, freeze, or fawn reactions when we receive messages from difficult ex-partners. Recognizing these pattern is the critical first step to interrupting automatic responses and choosing more intentional communication. Key Takeaways: • The "four Fs" (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) are natural trauma responses designed to protect us in threatening situations • Differe...

Episode Summary: We explore how to handle tough questions from your children about separation, divorce, or your past relationship in ways that are honest, developmentally appropriate, and emotionally supportive. Key Points • Understand what's driving your child's question before answering • Validate their question first with phrases • Gently assess why they might be asking • Keep responses child-focused • Respond directly to the underlying concern (like fear of losin...

Summary In this episode, Dr. Karalynn Royster discusses the complexities of co-parenting, particularly in high-conflict situations. She emphasizes the importance of establishing strong boundaries to protect both the parent and the child. The conversation covers three main types of boundaries: emotional, communication, and parenting boundaries, providing insights and strategies for mothers navigating difficult co-parenting dynamics. Helpful Links: Learn about the Kids First Co-Parenting Syst...

Summary Parallel parenting provides a structured approach for co-parenting with high-conflict exes by creating strong boundaries and limiting communication. This episode explores different co-parenting styles and helps you determine if parallel parenting might be the right approach for your situation. Key Takeaways: • Different co-parenting styles exist on a spectrum from nesting to collaborative co-parenting to parallel parenting • Parallel parenting involves parenting on separate "train t...

Welcome to Kids First Co-Parenting, the podcast for smart, intentional moms navigating life after divorce with a difficult ex. Your host, Dr. Karalynn Royster, a child psychologist and co-parenting expert, this show offers real-world guidance for mothers raising emotionally secure kids in high conflict family dynamics. Each episode blends child development insights with concrete strategies for managing co-parenting stress, setting boundaries with a toxic ex, protecting your child from conflic...