She Lives with Her Ex and Her Husband — And It Really Works (Unique)

Towards all odds and each societal rulebook, one household is prospering beneath one roof, made up of a girl, her ex-husband, her present husband and their two youngsters. 

It’s a family stitched collectively not by custom, however by therapeutic, honesty and a fierce dedication to doing what’s finest for his or her youngsters.

“Tyler and I bought married in January 2020, after which [Michael] and I clearly went no contact,” Megan tells PEOPLE, recalling the journey that led her to share a house together with her ex-husband, Tyler, and her now-husband, Michael. 

That journey, which is equal components unconventional, trustworthy and unexpectedly lovely, has made the trio unlikely TikTok stars, drawing tens of hundreds of followers who’re captivated by their unorthodox however deeply purposeful household life.

The TikTok account began nearly on a whim. Megan says she by no means anticipated the response they acquired. “Actually, I simply thought it was loopy,” she shares. “And I used to be like, I guess there’s a couple of folks on the market which can be going to get a kick out of this. After which it blew up in a single day.”

That “loopy” setup has a shocking calm at its core. Megan and Michael had been childhood finest associates who met at church and stayed shut by way of highschool. 

“We had been just about finest associates from the second we met,” she says, smiling on the reminiscence. They finally dated, broke up dramatically and misplaced contact. Then life introduced them again collectively in a means neither anticipated.

After years aside, an opportunity reconnection whereas Megan was in rehab led to a fast rekindling of their friendship and finally, a wedding. “We bought married a month after reconnecting,” Megan says. “Not happy with the timeline, however I don’t remorse it.”

Megan’s marriage to Tyler, in the meantime, had ended shortly earlier than her reunion with Michael. As a newly single mother, she reached out to Michael for assist discovering work. “He did. He helped me get a job along with his mother,” she remembers. “That’s type of how we reconnected.”

Issues moved shortly after that. Megan found she was pregnant with Michael’s youngster and located herself navigating a cross-country transfer, single parenting and co-parenting with Tyler — all whereas making an attempt to make issues work with Michael.

South Carolina turned their compromise. “I advised him my solely requirement is that I wanted a seaside,” Megan says. “And naturally he was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll go anyplace to be with you and our son.’ ”

For some time, she fastidiously managed two separate households, coordinating handoffs of her daughter with Tyler in order that he and Michael didn’t cross paths. “These two had been by no means in the identical place on the identical time,” she remembers. “I might ship one to the shop when the opposite was round.”

Then sooner or later, every part modified.

Tyler was constructing furnishings at Megan’s home for his or her daughter when Michael wanted to cease by. “I used to be panicking,” Megan remembers. “I checked out Tyler, and I used to be like, ‘Michael has to return to the home proper now.’ And he type of shrugged at me. He was like, ‘I don’t care anymore. I’m not mad. He could be right here after I’m right here.’ ”

That second of grace shifted every part. “I simply suppose it was the grace of God,” Tyler tells PEOPLE. “In the future, I simply awoke. I’m like, man, that is type of foolish. He’s going to be right here without end, so I’d as nicely simply suck up the satisfaction.”

From there, issues moved quick. Megan floated the thought of all three residing collectively. “All of us get alongside very well,” she remembers telling them. “What if we simply all bought a spot collectively?”

To her shock, they had been each on board. “We created a gaggle chat and began sending properties,” she says. “And two months later, we moved in right here.”

The adjustment, in fact, wasn’t simple. “Tyler was up and down rather a lot once we first moved in collectively,” Megan says. “A number of emotional rollercoasters.”

Tyler doesn’t deny it. “It was simply a wide range of feelings. That is nice. I adore it. This sucks. I hate it. I’m getting out of right here subsequent week,” he says, solely half-joking. 

However he stayed for a purpose that’s simple to know. “My daughter,” he says plainly. “I grew up in a semi-broken house. And I didn’t need that for her. I used to be like, I’ll do no matter it takes.”

That meant giving up his dream job quickly. “I ended being a cop simply to maneuver down right here,” he says. “I used to be like, no matter. I’ll be a janitor if I’ve to, so long as I get to see my daughter.”

For Michael, the dynamic has required its personal emotional shift. “It’s positively a rollercoaster,” he tells PEOPLE. “Nevertheless it’s like a built-in pal that’s by no means going to depart. So it’s cool. It’s so totally different from what I imagined for myself after I was in highschool.”

Reactions from family and friends have been in all places. “My dad, we blew up on one another and I didn’t speak to him for 5, six months,” Tyler says. “At first, he was not keen on it. He was like, ‘You’re an fool. Better of luck. See you then.’ ” Immediately, issues are higher. “He’s like, ‘No matter works for you, man. I’m pleased when you’re pleased.’ ”

Michael’s mother is supportive, too. “She loves Megan, she loves Tyler and all the children,” he says.

Inside the home, life is full however by no means predictable. “It adjustments each single day,” Megan says. “Let’s say each the fellows are at work. I keep at house with the children, so we’re out and about on the pool, on the seaside, no matter. After which as soon as the fellows get house, it’s often to wash up, cook dinner and so they take the children.”

Evenings are often spent collectively within the widespread space, not holed up in separate rooms. “We use the widespread space greater than we’re ever alone in our rooms, hiding,” Megan says.

The household doesn’t maintain formal sit-down conferences typically, however communication is fixed. “It’s type of like we’re doing every part on the fly,” Tyler says. “We’re often like, ‘Hey, don’t do this.’ or ‘Hey, we must always do this.’ ”

That open communication is a part of what’s made their uncommon setup work. When requested what recommendation they’d give to others contemplating an identical path, Megan doesn’t hesitate. 

“Actually focus in your therapeutic first,” she says. “If there’s nonetheless a lot bitterness in direction of your co-parent, it will trigger an unhealthy residing state of affairs for the children.”

Tyler agrees. “You bought to do it for the children and you bought to place your ego apart,” he says. “Your child solely will get one childhood.” Michael provides that it’s about selflessness. “Being gradual to anger. Redoing the entire ego factor,” he says. “All of it works inside itself.”

As for his or her greatest TikTok false impression? Many consider that they’re all romantically concerned. “We’re strictly monogamous,” Megan says. “Tyler is relationship any individual and so they’re monogamous.”

And whereas on-line judgment exists, it doesn’t shake them. “I’ll get literal DMs,” Megan says. “And I screenshot it and I ship it to the group chat and I’m laughing. It doesn’t faze me.”

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Tyler, who’s again working as a police officer, is a little more cautious. “The one factor that it actually impacts is my job,” he says. “Folks come as much as me at work generally. ‘Are you the man from TikTok?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s me.’ ”

Courting, he provides, can be sophisticated. “We truly did a relationship software. 1,300 responses later, none of ‘em labored,” he says, laughing.

Trying ahead, the household has a dream to construct a compound with separate properties on shared land. “In the event that they’re not on board, they’re out,” Tyler says. “I’m going to do what’s finest for my household.”

Over time, the expertise has formed all three of them in lasting methods. “Endurance and charm,” Tyler says. “Megan and Michael additionally by no means argue. So it’s one thing that’s nice to see.”

Megan agrees. “When you see the truth that I’ve persistence, it’s as a result of I discovered it from Tyler… The way in which he speaks to our daughter.” Michael nods, including, “Particularly in Latino communities, it’s all poisonous. So simply being selfless and gradual to anger. It really works.”

On the coronary heart of all of it, Megan says, is their shared religion. “None of this may be potential if it weren’t for every of our particular person relationships with the Lord,” she concludes. “That’s how we had been capable of heal and are available collectively. There’s a much bigger image.”