When a romantic relationship ends, it can be painful. And I would say that typically, life is a little easier if you don't have to see your ex or spend any time with them. I know that can be tough if, say, you are both part of the same friend group. Or maybe, say, you share a child with that person.
I've read stories written by women who have gotten divorced, and they sometimes talk about how they are sad about their marriage not working out, but that their ex-husband is such a great father to the kid(s), which makes things a little easier.
I wish I could say that I feel the same way about my ex, but the truth is, I don't. Ever since he left me, he has lived his life almost as if he's not a father at all. He claims our kiddo is his top priority, but his actions definitely speak louder than his words in that department. Everything from spending multiple 3-week stretches a year out of the country on vacation, to missing multiple school-related things for the kiddo (like the school play and this year's IEP meeting).
I know it could be worse. He could not be in the picture at all. He could be abusive (which he is not). But I feel like a selfish parent is a difficult thing for a child to have to deal with, and I wish my kiddo didn't have to deal with having a selfish dad. For me, it's a great example of recognizing something I don't have control over, and trying my best to let it go. (Can you tell I'm still working on that?).
I also don't trust my ex-husband because of the lies he told me while we were splitting up. That's another thing that makes co-parenting challenging. And like I said earlier, life is easier after a break-up if you don't have to see the person any more. But unfortunately, my ex and I are still responsible for raising our kid together, which means we are still in each others' lives. As time goes on, I know that things may get easier - many stories I've read talk about how it took time to get to a good place with co-parenting. I can only hope that my story takes a similar turn at some point.
