Erica Keane had been married to her husband for 15 years when they separated abruptly. He soon moved on with a new girlfriend — but sharing two kids, Erica was determined to find a way to navigate the new family dynamic, if only for the sake of her daughters.
But blended families aren't always easy, especially when it comes to co-parenting and sharing time between old and new partners. And when Erica's ex told her he wanted their daughters to meet his new partner, she decided to take action.
Watch: Co-parenting advice from an expert. Post continues after video.
Having never met her ex's new partner, Erica came up with a plan to share an open letter to the new woman in his — and by extension, her children's — life.
The letter, which Erica read out loud on TikTok, began: "I haven't met you yet, but today's the first day that you're going to meet my girls, my daughters.
"I want to say thank you first of all for opening your home to them and being willing to give them a place to stay so they could spend time with their dad."
Erica expressed her gratitude to the new girlfriend for being "willing to facilitate a relationship" with the children, as let's face it, this isn't always guaranteed in blended families.