How 2 moms became friends to the benefit of their kids
A blended family's moms -- Tiffany Paskas and Megan Storz -- have gone from being the new wife and the ex-wife, to becoming best friends to help benefit their children, they say.
The duo, known on Instagram as the moms of Tampa, told "Good Morning America" their friendship didn't happen overnight.
"It was four years that it took before we even talked -- I mean four years of awkwardness -- not saying anything besides quick little, 'Hi,'" Paskas said.
Storz shares equal custody of her 11-year-old son, Michael, with her ex-husband who is now married to Paskas, and said that kind of relationship was hard on the boy.
"He didn't want to express that he was having a good time at each household because he was just worried about upsetting the other house," Storz recalled. "And that was 100% one of the reasons why I reached out to [Tiffany] because I saw that firsthand and was like that's that's not OK."
The pandemic hit as the two moms began talking more which shined a light on the importance of balanced, healthy co-parenting.
"Our husbands had COVID at the same time," Storz said. "Tiffany and I ended up quarantining together. We had a great time -- we did a lot of TikTok together originally on my makeup account, which is what was the reason why people were questioning, they're like, 'Who's this other person on your TikTok?' And I'm like, 'Oh, it's my husband's ex-wife.' And they were like, 'Oh my God, you need to tell us more.'"
The now-best friends have shared their message of togetherness on Moms of Tampa on social media in hopes that their account can inspire other parents and step-parents to find common ground and co-parent successfully.
Parenting editor Ericka Sóuter told "GMA" "this is huge" because "it's really important for kids to feel protected and loved and comfortable."
"When you're warring with a stepparent or the parent, then that creates a very tense environment for the child or children, so it is really important to try to get along," she continued.
"It can be done. We get so many people who are like, I could never and it's ... you really could though," Storz said. "We understand that it can't be done for everybody -- if you could put your pride aside if it could be done."
