ADVENTURES IN CO-PARENTING:
COWRITTEN BY A MOM AND A STEPMOM
In (Step)Mom: A Dual Memoir, I partner with the stepmother of my children, Tina Gipford, to share a raw, funny, sometimes-awkward, and hopefully inspiring look inside the crazy world of “co-parenting.” Rather than writing another “how-to” parenting treatise, we wanted to do something more authentic and entertaining. We took turns sharing stories, from the unique vantage points of a mom and a stepmom, on the trials and tribulations of raising kids between two families.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but Mr. Tzu couldn’t have been more accurate.
WHY THE HECK DID WE WRITE THIS BOOK, TOGETHER!?!?!?!?!
I know what you’re thinking. Why on earth would I ask my ex-husband’s wife to co-author a book with me? Let alone ask her to co-author a book with me regarding the, often-complicated and hardly-ever-fun subject of co-parenting? Perhaps you are also wondering how much money I had to bribe this woman with to get her to agree to write this with me. Zero, zilch, nada. I didn’t even have to bribe her. She quickly and enthusiastically said yes.
We wanted to share our stories because our big mommy hearts continually break, each and every time we hear of, or witness firsthand, children who are caught in the middle of parents and step-parents that just can’t seem to get along. Trust us, we get it. Been there, done that. Thankfully, somewhere amidst all the ups and downs, we figured it out. And we hope that in some small way, hearing our stories will help you to figure it out as well.
ABOUT ERIN GIPFORD (MOM)
Erin Gipford is the Wisconsin-based co-author of (Step)Mom – A Dual Memoir: How We Navigated Divorce, Remarriage & Co-Parenting With the Same Goal. . . Happy Children. The book, co-authored with her ex-husband’s wife Tina, uses stories from both women to offer a raw, funny, sometimes-awkward, and hopefully inspiring look inside the crazy world of “co-parenting.” Erin’s “day job” is as a graphic designer and occasional photographer. When she’s not raising her kids, you might find her running marathons, drinking wine with her friends, or traveling around the world.
ABOUT TINA GIPFORD (STEP) MOM
Tina Gipford is co-author of (Step)Mom – A Dual Memoir: How We Navigated Divorce, Remarriage & Co-Parenting With the Same Goal. . . Happy Children. The book, co-written with her husband’s ex-wife Erin, uses stories from both women to offer a raw, funny, sometimes-awkward, and hopefully inspiring look inside the crazy world of “co-parenting.” She is the stay-at-home mom/stepmom to five children, and also runs a daycare. When she’s not taking care of her family, she loves to ride motorcycles, four-wheelers, and snowmobiles with her husband, and take care of the many animals that frequent their small farm in rural Wisconsin.