Reason Dad Invites Ex-Wife's New Baby Over Melts Hearts

Newsweek

8 hours ago

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A heartwarming Instagram reel has gone viral for capturing an extraordinary example of co-parenting.
In the clip, a woman's ex-partner takes her baby, whom she shares with her new partner, for a visit simply because the baby's sister missed him. The woman, Gwen, spoke to Newsweek about the video which reached over 2 million views and how her ideal co-parenting family came about.
"You know you co-parent well when your ex has your new baby over just because his sister misses him," Gwen captioned the video, pointing out her baby's older sister and her ex of 11 years in the clip.
Photos from Gwen's Instagram reel of her blended family.
Photos from Gwen's Instagram reel of her blended family.
@thesmallbizfixer/Instagram
Gwen shared the spontaneous nature of the visit, which coincidentally fell on her anniversary.
"The visit was on our anniversary and my oldest FaceTimed me saying she missed her brother, and we jokingly said, 'then come get him'—and 10 minutes later, she was walking in the door and grabbing his stuff," Gwen recounted. Both she and her fiancé were "a little shocked," but the baby's dad was only concerned about making sure he had enough snacks packed.
Gwen revealed that their co-parenting journey wasn't always so harmonious.
"Our co-parenting journey started out amicable, until I started dating after our break up," she said. "Then, it was a horror movie for about a year."
However, through persistent effort and many conversations, they achieved a breakthrough. "We are now we all are finally on the same page. All three of us," she said.
Gwen said she hopes her video serves as an inspiration for other parents navigating similar situations.
"I truly hope other moms look at this video and remember that it's not about us or how we were wronged by our exes," she said. "It's about creating positive memories around family for our kids. In a world full of 'bitter,' be the parent you would have always dreamed of and stick to it."
What Did the Comments Say?
The Instagram comments section was filled with praise and similar stories of successful co-parenting.
"I've seen some divorce stories that end well like these too," one person wrote. "Both parents got re-married, but they share custody, and the new spouses of each parent actually put some effort in the co-parenting as well. In the end, the kid got like, four parents."
Another offered an anecdote of family harmony: "I have a friend whose parents divorced. His mom and stepmom are best friends and conspire (with affection) against his dad. He has a half-brother who loves both moms."
The video's positive message resonated especially, however, with those who had experienced less friendly separations.
"Coming from a complete divorce fail, thank you both for seeing and knowing love will always need to come first in what that child needs to see, and so happy he is accepting of your son," one commenter wrote. "You guys are great people and the world needs more."