377. How You Can Be a Great Co-Parent and Not Be Friends with Your Ex

What if you could be a great co-parent without pretending to be friends?

 

In this episode of The Divorce Revolution Podcast, I break down one of the biggest misconceptions about healthy co-parenting: the idea that you have to be friends with your ex. Spoiler: you don’t. In fact, forcing a friendship that doesn’t feel safe or authentic can leave you exhausted, resentful, and second-guessing your boundaries.

 

I share what healthy co-parenting actually looks like (hint: it’s not curated for Instagram), how to define your role without compromising yourself, and why emotional neutrality is the real gold standard—not forced closeness.

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Sign up for ReNewU waitlist to get early access: https://products.ambershaw.com/signature-waitlist

• Nail Your Niche: https://ambershaw.samcart.com/products/nail-your-niche

 

What I Discuss:

• Do you actually need to be friends with your ex? 

• The pressure to perform peace and the rise of curated co-parenting 

• Why friendship is optional (and functional is enough) 

• What social media doesn’t show you about co-parenting dynamics 

• How to define success as a co-parent without overextending yourself

• Boundaries, guilt, and knowing when you’re doing too much 

• Why emotional neutrality, not closeness, is the goal in co-parenting

 

Key Takeaways:

“You don’t have to be friends with your ex to be a great co-parent.” – Amber Shaw

“Emotional neutrality is the goal—not forced closeness.” – Amber Shaw

“Just because it looks peaceful on Instagram doesn’t mean it’s healthy in real life.” – Amber Shaw

 

Find more from Amber:

Instagram: @msambershaw

Website: ambershaw.com 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@msambershaw