Single mom inspires others with viral post encouraging co-parenting

— -- Co-parenting doesn't have to be hard. And one former couple in Missouri is proving that.

Brittney Johnson praised her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend Kayla Imhoff in a now-viral Facebook post, writing: "Kayla has been a gift of so much more than I could have hoped for."

The single mother told ABC News she was inspired to write the July 12 post, which has accumulated more than 66,000 likes on Facebook, after Imhoff sent her a photo of herself with Johnson's 4-year-old daughter, Payton.

"When Kayla started nursing school [at State Technical College of Missouri], she sent me a picture of her and Payton in matching scrubs," Johnson, 27, recalled.

The Columbia, Missouri, woman was touched because despite Imhoff's "strenuous schedule," her ex Charlie Swarzentruber's new girlfriend was making time of her daughter "in one of the busiest times in her life."

Imhoff, 22, who's been dating Swarzentruber since 2013, told ABC News that when she saw Johnson's post, it warmed her heart.

"I appreciate that she appreciates me so much. She doesn't have to do that and she does. That's what makes our relationship so special," she told ABC News.

Swarzentruber, 24, admitted that Johnson and Imhoff's relationship didn't start off this well.

"But it's definitely gone from the tension to something really good," he told ABC News. "Those two talk and hang out all the time."

In fact, because Swarzentruber is a mechanic who works long hours, he relies on them both to pick up and drop off his daughter.

"I'm just glad that these two get along and love my little girl the way they do," he added. "They help me a lot. That's for sure."

Johnson said Imhoff makes it easy to get along with because "she's such a sweet girl."

Imhoff echoed Johnson's sentiment, adding: "She’s really accepting and we both went into it with an open mind."

The single mother has advice for anyone struggling with co-parenting with an ex's new partner.

"See that person as a potential teammate of yours instead of competition," she said. "With me and Kayla, we're on the same team. We're on Payton's team."