A Round Of Applause For Those Who Co-Parent Well During The Holidays
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are doing their best to co-parent twins post-divorce.
The holidays are about family and making memories, and despite enduring a widely publicized divorce after just six years of marriage, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are determined to provide both to their kids.
Nick Cannon recently shared a variety of Instagram pics showing off his adorable kids and their precious family time, enjoying typical Christmas activities such as candy-apple-making and decorating a tree. It’s not the first time he and his superstar ex-wife have demonstrated how they can stay companionable in front of their twins, Moroccan and Monroe, though the road to this point has been rocky.
It’s been more than a year since the famous couple split: they announced their separation in December 2014 amid rumors of discontent, with their divorce becoming final in April 2015. In the early days there was mud-slinging from both camps, and much of it made it to the tabloids: early divorce reports claimed custody battles and covering up tattoos of each others’ names.
At the time of the divorce announcement Nick and Mariah’s twins were just 3 1/2 years old, having been born on April 30, 2011. That’s an early enough age for kids to understand what’s going on around them but not necessarily to remember all the details. Considering what was likely incessant paparazzi and journalist interference surrounding their personal lives, I hope for their sake that they don’t remember much, and certainly that they didn’t hear any character assassination from one parent toward another.
When their parents ultimately settled their divorce, the kids were four – an age when you’d better start watching what you say in front of them, because they’ll likely remember (and repeat) all of it. Thankfully, Mariah and Nick seemed to figure this out and, at least as far as the watchful public was concerned, they released Easter photos, seemingly agreeing to focus on the well-being of their children. Since then, they’ve gotten together for major holidays and continue to release pics that demonstrate the amicable nature of their relationship while also speaking well of one another publicly.
Whether or not Mariah and Nick actually get along in private, their determination to gracefully co-parent for the sake of their children is admirable. As their kids grow up and research their parents’ divorce on the Internet they’ll discover both good and bad reports, but hopefully they’ll be able to focus on the positive images and publicity their parents received for the happy times they created for their family. Let this be a reminder that the Internet is permanent, y’all.
Divorce is never easy, especially with kids involved. And even if the reasons for divorce clearly improve the health, well-being, or safety of the family, the children still may not completely understand it’s for the best. It’s up to parents to create an atmosphere, especially during the holidays, in which children feel loved, nurtured, and appreciated. If that can’t happen with both parents there due to unenviable circumstances, it’s completely understandable. But when divorced parents can jointly make a holiday a memorable and positive family affair, it’s worthy of applause.
