If you’ve already entered in to a trade agreement, and you’re waiting out the days with your old son or daughter until you can take receipt of your new one, there are many ways to make the transition easier for you and your forsaken offspring alike.

Teach your son or daughter to call you by name

No more of this "mom" or "dad" business. If your name is Steve, your boy needs to start calling you Steve. If by some sick twist of happenstance, you cross paths in the future, it will be much easier if he screams out "Steve!" than if he yells, "Dad!", especially if the new, legally valid father is on hand.

Adopt a business attitude to chores, bedtime, etc.

If you have been paying your old child an allowance for chores, take this transitional period to treat this relationship like the business transaction it now is. If the bed is only half made, maybe you should only pay half a quarter, and maybe you should write him or her up for poor work performance. Not only will this differentiate you as a cold, heartless, obvious non-parent, it will yield you greater value in household cleanliness to be enjoyed by your next child.

No more hugs, no more kisses, no more after-dinner dessert

Spare the whip, spoil the child. Coddle the kid and cull the killer. Six of one and a half dozen of your mother-in-law. It’s all the same in the end, even if it does all wiggle out in the wash. If you want to make this poor thing miss you once he or she is off with a new, permanent family, you are technically permitted to do so, but what a horrible way to go about it.

The smart money says you need to be cold, standoffish and indifferent at kindest. Not only is it cheaper and easier for you, you’ll give your remnant kid a better understanding of what the world is like and what kind of treatment expectations should be expected in the future.

Be like step-parents the last few weeks to make it as easy as possible

If you’ve got some frustrations you’ve held back on, maybe this can be your week to let loose a bit. It may be therapeutic, especially considering how beneficial it may be to get it out of your system before you get your new familial component, or child if you prefer. Be careful to only leave emotional scars, considering the automatic demerits and devaluation points garnered for bruises on your trade merchandise. Let yourself embrace your feeling of disdain and distaste for this child you’ve already committed to letting go, but don’t go overboard in case the deal is unwound within the week.

Remember, regardless of what you think you’ve done, you have made the right decision. You can kid yourself and your kid too and say that all this complicated build up to swap out children was just to prove a point or teach a lesson, but even Jimmy Jr. knows it isn’t so. You can feel bad about it if it somehow makes you feel better, or you can come quickly to terms and move on. If you want my advice, I say it’s time to get on with the rest of your life, and do it right as quick as you can.