The mother of a young girl in Missouri has written an open letter to her ex’s girlfriend in the hope of giving a positive outlook on co-parenting.
Brittney Johnson posted the letter to Facebook — which has now gone viral — thanking Kayla Imhoff for being a role model and an amazing “bonus mom” to her daughter.
Johnson, who lives in Columbia, begins the letter by addressing moms who get upset “when another woman treats your child as her own.”
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Johnson wrote that Imhoff has been nothing but a gift for her four-year-old daughter Payton. She praised her for inspiring Payton to follow her dreams and work hard.
Imhoff recently started nursing school and purchased an extra pair of mini scrubs for Payton so they could match.
Although Johnson admits meeting her ex’s girlfriend about two years ago was a little intimidating, she has learned to put her daughter first and embrace the co-parenting situation.
“Kayla and I have never been in competition with one another and it has made all the difference. Remember that you have a special place in your child’s life but there is plenty of room for that person to have a special place too,” Johnson told Global News.“At the end of the day, it’s not about the parents, it’s about the child, and I want Payton to always know she has a team backing her, and that team includes both me and Kayla, and that has been best for her.”Her message to other parents who might be adjusting to the same situation is to be patient and to remember that the new step-parent is not your competition but your teammate.“Take the time to get to know them and who they are, and appreciate that they are making an effort to be in your child’s life.”Johnson, Imhoff and Payton try to get together often to spend some time with each other. They try to grab lunch together or go to the park. Although the situation may seem out of the ordinary to some, the three have gotten close over the years.
“To everyone else, this doesn’t seem normal. But it is our normal. We are so overwhelmed with the response and hope that it gives everyone a positive outlook on co-parenting because we truly love our normal!”Johnson’s open letter on Facebook has been liked almost 100,000 times and has been shared 50,000 times so far.
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