A divorced couple has shared how they still get together once a year to have a professional family photo taken for the sake of their son.
Victoria Baldwin and her ex-husband Adam Dyson, from the US, had photos taken during their pregnancy and after their son Bruce was born.
When they separated, they made a deal that these photos would not stop.
The top two photos (below) were taken when the couple were married and the bottom two were taken one and two years after their divorce was finalised.
“We are not in love, we don’t always agree, we’re not best friends, sometimes we don’t even like one another,” Baldwin shared on the Love What Matters Facebook page.
“But you know what we are? We are forever connected because of our beautiful, smart, kind, compassionate, funny son.”
Baldwin continued: “We respect one another. We remember that neither of our roles as parents take precedence over the other - neither one of us are any more important to the life of our son.
“We both need to be there, we both deserve quality time and quality memories with him.
“Neither of us blame one another for the direction our relationship took. We do not place blame on one another, and we certainly don’t place blame in the presence of our son.”
Baldwin said as co-parents, she and her ex aren’t perfect, but this annual tradition reminds them to always put their son’s needs first.
She pays to have the family portrait taken, printed and framed and then hangs it up in her son’s room each year.
“He may not grow up with parents who live in the same house but he will grow up to see respect, kindness, empathy, compassion, perseverance, flexibility, and even sacrifice being modelled by both of his parents,” she added.
“He will know it is possible to fall out of love but never fall apart.”
The Facebook post had 14,000 likes in one week and many praised the couple for putting aside their differences for their son.
“Choosing to hate your ex means you are putting your own emotions before your children’s happiness,” one person wrote.
“Choosing to forgive your ex is the greatest thing you can do for your children to help them deal with divorce.”
Another commented: “More parents should remember that they are divorcing each other - not the kids. How wonderful that this boy will grow up with parents that put him first and provide him with loving family portraits.”
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