Money conversations with my co-parent used to leave me feeling frustrated, misunderstood, and emotionally drained. Every discussion about expenses felt like a negotiation, and I found myself getting defensive or angry before we'd even started talking. It wasn't really about the money—it was about feeling like our priorities didn't align, like we saw our responsibilities differently, and like every financial decision became a reflection of who cared more about our kids. I realized I was bringing so much emotional baggage to these conversations that we couldn't actually solve anything. My hurt feelings, assumptions about their intentions, and fear of conflict were making every discussion harder than it needed to be. I had to step back and figure out how to separate the practical decisions from the emotional wounds. It wasn't easy, but I learned that I could only control my part of the conversation. The breakthrough came when I started focusing on what I could change—my communication style, my boundaries, and my perspective on these interactions. I learned to prepare for these conversations differently, to stay focused on the kids' needs rather than our past grievances, and to protect my emotional energy when discussions got heated. These conversations still aren't easy, but they don't derail my entire week anymore. If you're struggling with financial discussions in co-parenting, feeling triggered by money conversations, or exhausted by the emotional weight of these negotiations, I understand how isolating and draining this can be.