@uglytruthofcoparenting: One parenting question I get asked a lot is: “Should we buy our teenager a car together?” My answer? In a high-conflict situation, absolutely not. It sounds fair. It sounds logical. It sounds like good co-parenting. Until real life starts happening. Who pays for gas? Who pays for insurance? Who pays for repairs? Who chooses the mechanic? Who decides where the car can go? Who decides who can ride in it? Who pays when there’s an accident? Who pays for tires? Who pays for maintenance? Who gets possession of the car during each parenting week? What started as one purchase quickly turns into 100 opportunities for conflict. And guess who gets stuck in the middle? Your child. Personally, I believe that if you feel strongly that your child needs a car and you have the ability to provide one, then make that decision yourself. Not because it’s fair. Not because your ex will appreciate it. But because you don’t want your child trapped in years of arguments over a vehicle. I’ve done this for both of my older children. And one thing they still talk about as adults is how grateful they were that the car wasn’t another source of conflict. The car belonged to them. It went where they went. It wasn’t Mom’s car. It wasn’t Dad’s car. It was theirs. That freedom mattered. That normalcy mattered. That independence mattered. Now, every family is different. Not every teenager needs a car. Not every parent can afford one. But if you’re having this discussion, I would encourage you to think less about your ex and more about your child. Because this isn’t really a co-parenting decision. It’s a parenting decision. And honestly, this is one of those topics I wouldn’t spend valuable parenting plan space trying to control. There are plenty of other issues that need detailed language and protection. A teenager’s future vehicle usually isn’t one of them. If you want help building a parenting plan that focuses on the issues that actually create long-term conflict, comment PURPLE in DMs. Know better. Do better. #parentingplanhelp #highconflictdivorce #coparentingstrategy #parentingteens #custodybattle

Samantha Boss | Co-Parenting

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Wednesday 17 June 2026 13:03:38 GMT