Both struggle to achieve satisfaction, keeping in mind what is in the best interest of their children. With him out to sea so often, I feel I'm parenting alone even though I'm married. He thinks he's helping, but I still end up doing almost everything. It is rare to hear a couple report that they have a great parenting team that works. Most problems begin to show up when children enter school.
First signs can begin to be noticed in daycare or pre-school.
Children's problems can be a clue to parent-team problems. Children may be put in the middle when Mom and Dad disagree. They may have difficulty agreeing about who does what, when, where, and how often. Couples from every walk of life and economic level have difficulty negotiating a healthy balance of fairness in their parenting roles and responsibilities. Such problems can lead to children with a poor self-image, behavior problems, or the unhealthy siding with one parent.