When Norwegian entertainer Stian «Staysman» Thorbjørnsen and his ex-wife Tina Svestad finalized their divorce, they chose a deliberately cooperative path to protect their son’s routine. According to Svestad, the former couple continues to take joint vacations alongside their 12-year-old son, Lennox, traveling to destinations such as Miami, a Caribbean Disney cruise, a European road trip, and upcoming plans for Marbella. Svestad handles the initial travel arrangements, and Thorbjørnsen joins when scheduling permits, transferring his share of the expenses.
Data from the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) shows that approximately 15,000 children experienced parental divorce or separation in 2024. A 2012 survey by Statistics Norway (SSB) on residence and visitation found that 33 percent of fathers and 35 percent of mothers experienced conflict with a former partner to some or a great degree, with 17 percent of fathers and 16 percent of mothers reporting conflict in a great degree.
Maintaining Family Bonds After Separation
Thorbjørnsen and Svestad emphasize that preserving a strong friendship after a romantic split requires active effort. Svestad notes that their son’s daily life has not shifted drastically because both parents shared childcare duties previously due to Svestad’s work trips and Thorbjørnsen’s touring schedule. Thorbjørnsen describes maintaining their post-divorce friendship as one of the most mature and rewarding achievements of his life, stating that he wants his son to retain the best possible memories of his upbringing.
Influencer Annette Haga Olsson and her ex-husband Emil Løvstad have also integrated joint travel into their blended family structure. Following their divorce six years ago when their sons were toddlers, Olsson and Løvstad initially maintained separate traditions because the children were young. Over time, however, they have vacationed together alongside their respective new partners, including Olsson’s current husband Jon Olsson, creating a blended travel dynamic that encompasses children from multiple relationships.
Impact of Parental Conflict on Children
While cooperative arrangements can provide stability, research indicates that the nature of post-separation dynamics directly influences child welfare. Bufdir points to Nordic studies showing that children of divorced parents can experience higher rates of adjustment challenges compared to peers, including issues related to aggression, antisocial behavior, school performance, and mental health. At the same time, separate research cited by Bufdir indicates that children can also experience improvements in well-being after parents separate if high-stress home environments are dissolved.
Research synthesized by Bufdir identifies parental conflict following a break-up as one of the primary catalysts for developmental and emotional problems in children, with the severity depending heavily on the intensity, content, and expression of that conflict. For families going through separation, maintaining cooperative communication—whether through daily coordination or shared family milestones—is a strategy some parents use to mitigate disruption during childhood.