Why is co-parenting so hard?!

[gigi556]

My husband and I have very different parenting styles and I'm finding it really difficult. We have one son who just turned 2.

I feel like motherhood has brought out the control freak in me as I wasn't like this before! I find it really difficult to just let my husband do it his way. I want consistent responses from both of us. Basically, I'm the "strict" one and my husband gives in at the first winge! How do I work this out. I don't want to be the wife that is constantly telling her husband how to do things. He doesn't do it to me and I can see that it would be rather annoying!

Not to alarm you OP but my parents were like that and my mother got excessively strict with us in response and their marriage really suffered and never fully recovered. It's good you've identified it. Maybe do a parenting class together or go to see a child psychologist. Also think about it from your son's perspective. You're right that consistency and boundaries are needed but so are warmth and joy. Don't act like your husband's mother too

@amiapropermum "don't act like your husbands mother too" - I love it! Great advice :)

I think I'm warm too. I'm very affectionate with my son. Love him to bits. We have lots of fun together, but I set rules and enforce them. I think when my husband does it differently I just want to give up! And for some reason it drives me crazy.

I know I need to work through this. I'm really struggling with it.

I'm sorry to hear about your parents relationship:(

You've identified it and that's huge! With my parents their different parenting styles were so different it drove a wedge between them - and effected us too.

Have you talked it through with your husband yet?