Lauren Wood Says She and Odell Beckham Jr. Are Taking Co-Parenting 'Day by Day': 'We Just Roll with the Punches' (Exclusive)

The TV personality and mom tells PEOPLE about how she's learning and growing through motherhood and co-parenting

Lauren Wood is enjoying a season of growth and change.

The Ridiculousness co-host and model mom, 31, is booked and busy — not only is she preparing for the next step of her career, but she's also dedicated to bi-coastal co-parenting of her son Zydn, 2½, with ex Odell Beckham Jr.

"Odell lives in Miami and I live in Arizona and work in California. My parents are also in California and Zydn has grandparents in Texas, so we're kind of all over," Wood tells PEOPLE.

"It's exciting. It's fun. It's challenging. It's rewarding. I feel like if you want to test you and your partner's characters and boundaries and values of compassion and forgiveness, nothing compares to co-parenting a toddler... because they will reveal everything!"

While many people base their co-parenting plans on the long-term, for Wood and Beckham, it's best "taking it day by day." It's working for them now, though Wood admits she doesn't know if it always will.

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Related: All About Odell Beckham Jr.'s Son Zydn Beckham

"Odell's life is pretty chaotic, and so is mine. We just roll with the punches. We're testing our ability to adapt hourly and I'm gonna be honest that sometimes, I don't know if we're doing great," she admits.

"I think every parent goes through that feeling, like, 'Am I doing this right?' But I do know that we're intelligent and capable. We can adapt. I feel like it strengthens our bond, despite harbored emotions or wrongs done to each other that every relationship goes through. It's all part of the journey."

When it comes to finding a throughline in the chaos, Wood has learned to be gentle with herself navigating the ups and downs.

"I'm in my season of grace right now. So I'm learning just to keep grace in everything, even in those moments when I'm like at my wits' end with my toddler because we get there. We all do, and it's about implementing grace. I've gained so much patience throughout this journey of motherhood and co-parenting."

It's been a driver in her personal growth, with Wood noting, "Having a kid forces you to level up."

"I think, 'Okay, I've got to rise to the occasion — be patient, learn grace,'" she explains.

"I can't imagine my life without my son. As a toddler mom, we go through scares. There's things that happen, and you can worry a lot through the 'terrible twos,' as they say. But every concern, it's just all washed away when he smiles and says, 'I love you.' Now that he's saying it back, it's like, 'Oh my God, my heart.'"

Seeing Zydn loving and enjoying moments with family is important to both Wood and Beckham, who make sure the toddler gets plenty of time with his grandparents.

"His grandparents are vital on both sides! My mom and dad, O's mom and dad, are vital for taking care and helping and being that support system we both need as first-time parents," Wood shares.

"To see the joy on Zydn's face when he's with family, that's enough for me to be like, 'Okay, we gotta make this happen,' " she says.

"We never did the nanny thing," Wood continues. We kept it all in the family and I prefer it that way. Having that cushion is nice, but just knowing who you have around your child exactly being able to have that trust, I think it keeps us all more solid."

Wood says it's important to her and Beckham that "family be the center of everything, no matter what.

"That's always been important for us to spend the holidays together and carving out that time for it. You make time for what you want, so, keeping family at the forefront has been both of our priorities always. We figure out a way, so we will be together for holidays for sure," she says.

"We never did the nanny thing. We kept it all in the family and I prefer it that way. Having that cushion is nice, but just knowing who you have around your child exactly being able to have that trust, I think it keeps us all more solid."

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Read the original article on People.