This new Episode skates smoothly on the heels of our how-to’s of co-parenting lessons from Episode 9 of Season 8 when Darlene Taylor shared her fifteen pearls of wisdom for forging a collaborative co-parenting approach with your ex. In this interview with Karen Buscemi (Episode 10), author and columnist who writes about divorce/relationship/family issues, Host Glass’s questions her about what to do and not do when dealing with an uncooperative ex in the co-parenting department. Buscemi touts flexibility as a strategy, yes, but not at the expense of losing one’s self-esteem or becoming a doormat. Incisive and wise, she talks about how any kind of parental discord reflects on the kids. She culls a lot of the content from her books, Split in Two: Keeping It Together When Your Parents Live Apart (written primarily for teens forced to adjust to life in two households) and I Do, Part 2: How to Survive Divorce, Co-Parent With Your Kids, and Blend Families. Both self-help books have a treasure-trove of advice. Glass’s theme this season has covered other related parenting topics such as: Enmeshment, defined in part by Dr. Kenneth Adams (Episode 8) who describes it as a dysfunctional dynamic—when the parent leans on the child to become the surrogate “intimate partner,” by making their child feel responsible for their emotional and often physical well-being; Parental Alienation, (Episodes 1 and 7), featuring two dads whose stories seem unreal, but they’re not. They’re true. And, Domestic Violence, giving TheHourGLASSpodcast fans a thorough understanding of what constitutes it. Domestic Violence (Episode 3) with guest, Alesia Litteral, whose husband nearly killed her, is one of the best in Season 8. (Episodes 4 and 5) Mark Geragos and Matt Murphy, well known for their work on the Domestic Violence crime front, provided insight into red flags for would-be victims. Our viewers also learned it is not always physical, mental, and emotional “violence,” it can include a host of offenses like “mind games,” says California Sen. Susan Rubio (District 22) (Episode 6). In fact, Dr. Adams and Host Glass veered into an earnest conversation about this very topic. Adams (Episode 9) clearly defined enmeshment as a hugely dysfunctional family dynamic: one that can consume a parent (and bespeaks of child abuse). Very often. parents are unaware they are committing this more subtle type of child cruelty. Coming up in Season 8 Episode 11, is a discussion on the impact of adult children when they are faced with their parents’ “Gray Divorce.” Author, researcher, therapist, and expert, Linda Hershman, featured in the New York Times, and author of Gray Divorce: Everything You Need to Know About Later-Life Breakups, explains it all in easy-to-understand talking points; especially when Host Glass asks how it impacts the couple’s adult children, even after they are grown.

In case you need to catch up, binge earlier Prior Seasons/Episodes where you can choose from more than 200-plus interviews and a slew of topics on breakups. (Links are on the landing page). More compelling guests and Episodes are on their way when in Season 9, Glass kicks off the new year with an intriguing conversation with Karis Nafte, MFLT, who is revered as one of the world's most knowledgeable experts on the effects of a breakup on a couple's pets.

Please subscribe to TheHourGLASSpodcast and write to Host Glass and the production team with an email request for a guest appearance or topics you would like Glass to cover. Thehourglasspod@gmail.com.