By Justin | The Joyful CoParent
Consider This : The Saturday edition of The Joyful CoParent
One idea. One question or an insight worth carrying into the weekend.
I was in Japan recently, with my son and his mom (my co-parent)
We were leaving a temple after a long day.
It was packed with tourists.
A crowd pulled us in.
And there, on a stool, on a leash — a monkey.
Performing.
Doing exactly what was expected.
Getting the attention, the reaction, the reward.
fwiw, the monkey looked miserable.
I took this picture then I had to walk away.
It made me sick.
Not at the monkey.
But at how familiar it looked.
The suffering we put ourselves and others through.
We spend years training ourselves to perform.
For money. For approval. For love.
Some of it we inherited — handed to us before we were old enough to question it.
Some of it we chose, once, when it made sense.
And kept choosing long after it stopped.
The leash isn't always visible.
But it's there.
Consider This
What are you chained to that you didn't consciously choose? and/or
What did you choose that no longer serves you?
Thank you for reading.
I didn't become a joyful co-parent overnight — and if you're in the middle of this, you probably won't either.
I share my journey to connect with others working through the same confusing transformation.
Connect with me:
If this resonated, reply directly — I'd genuinely love to hear your story.
If it landed for you, consider passing it to someone who might need it.
It might be exactly what they need to hear.
Thank you,
Justin | The Joyful CoParent
