After separation, each parent's strengths and weaknesses are no longer buffered by the strengths and weaknesses of the other parent, putting their parenting styles into sharp contrast. A parent who never cooked, needs to either master Skip the Dishes or figure out how the kitchen works in short order; a parent who wasn't responsible for discipline and making sure the kids are up on time and go to bed at a reasonable hour, now has to manage these tasks as well. This understandably creates anxiety for the parents — "She never cooked, how are the kids going to stay healthy living on pizza and hotdogs at her place?" — as well as confusion for the children. One parent might make a cozy, warm and welcoming home after separation, while the other might leave the walls blank and take a minimalist approach to furniture and other creature comforts. One parent might be a more rigid disciplinarian and insist that homework gets done right after dinner and impose strict rules about screen time, while the other might take a more relaxed approach to the children and let them free-range. One parent might be interested in the children's social lives, friend groups and conflict with bullies at school, the other parent might not be interested in these things and not talk to the children about them as a result.