Let’s face it: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie didn’t have the best year on record. According to reports, they spent the majority of the year trying to hash out a custody agreement between the two of them for their six children. And while no one knows what is going on behind closed doors, one thing is for certain: Brad and Angelina are trying to do what’s best for their kids, even if that means limited communication between them. After all, the public hasn’t seen a photo of the ex-couple together in years. Clearly, they now live separate lives and co-parent separately, too, meaning they probably rely on third parties to assist them.

With that being said though, there’s hope that things will get better for Brad and Angie, even though things will never be the same between them. What matters the most is that all six Jolie-Pitt kids are happy, healthy and living in a stable situation between their two parents, even if they never see them in the same room together.

That’s why we’ve got 20 hopes for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in 2019. Take a look at our list below and let us know what you think!

20 Both Parents Share Custody

It’s without a doubt that both Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie love their kids unconditionally. They would do just about anything to make sure that they are always safe and sound, healthy and happy. Right now, reports indicate that Angelina Jolie has primary custody of the six Jolie-Pitt kids while Brad Pitt has visitation rights. Here’s hoping that Brad gets to have more time with his kids in the future, as many fans are sure that he misses them dearly. All six children need their father Brad just as much as they need their mother Angelina in their everyday lives.

19 Brad Repairs His Relationship With The Older Kids

Many media reports have indicated that Brad Pitt has had a supposed strained relationship with his two older children, Maddox Jolie-Pitt and Pax Jolie-Pitt. At one point, there were even reports that said Maddox had no interest in maintaining a relationship with the man that he once loved dearly. Thankfully, it looks like they are past that point, as recent reports say that Pax even had a sleepover with his dad while celebrating the actor’s birthday. Let’s just hope that Brad gets to see more of his children in the new year, and they continue to repair the bond that they once had.

18 Brad Is More Active In Their School Life

For the longest time, Angelina Jolie insisted on having their kids homeschooled, mostly because of their hectic travel schedule. Brad Pitt, meanwhile, wanted his kids to have a normal, stable childhood like the one that he had growing up. He wanted them to have friends and to attend a traditional school with a normal schedule. In order for that to happen though, Brad will have to be more active in their school life. Could you imagine Brad Pitt volunteering as a cross guard at a middle school in Malibu? We can. In fact, we hope to see it one day!

17 The Kids Get To See The Pitt Family In Missouri

During the early years of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s romance, they would often visit Missouri to spend time with the Pitt family. At one point in their lives, Angie was very close to Brad Pitt’s parents. They even walked the red carpet together as a family. Yet, the moment their marriage started falling apart, Angie began to distance herself from the Pitt family in Missouri. As a result, both of Brad’s parents have been seen less and less with their grandchildren in public. Let’s hope that the kids get a chance to visit with all of their relatives, on both sides of their families.

16 Mom And Dad Attending Sporting Events

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt used to love watching their children at sporting events. As a matter of fact, they were often seen at Shiloh and Zahara’s weekend soccer games back when they used to call Los Angeles their family home. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened in years. Here’s hoping that things will finally cool down between them so much so that they can actually spend an afternoon watching their kids score goals, make baskets, or attend any of their sporting games. We are sure that their kids want to see both of their parents cheer them on, not just one.

15 No Media Drama

While we won’t go in too many details here, let’s put it this way: fans were very surprised to see the media war that ensued soon after Angelina Jolie pulled the plug on their marriage. It seemed like it came from nowhere, especially because Angelina and Brad always looked like the picture-perfect Hollywood couple. Well, it looks like their acting is just as good on screen as it is off-screen. And while, thankfully, things have finally cooled down between them, let’s hope that it stays that way in the new year. Here’s hoping there won’t be any more media drama.

14 No Spitefulness Between Angie And Brad

While no one knows just what is going on behind closed doors, all fans can do is assume that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt aren’t on the best of terms. After all, they did hint that they have to communicate through their lawyers about decisions that are made regarding their children. If there is one thing that we would't like to to see, it’s Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt acting in a spiteful manner between each other. If they want their kids to be happy, that means they have to be happy. All of the bitter back-and-forth war of words never works.

13 Brad Moves On With A New Love

The entire world is rooting for Brad Pitt to find a new love in his life. After all, he is one of the most handsome men in the world! That’s why fans want to see him fall in love again, just like when he fell in love with Angie. Brad once said about Angelina, “I’m surprised how much our history – Angie’s and mine – means to me. That we have this story together. That we know each other. That we watch each other getting older, through amazing moments, joys, pains. That we know each other. It means so much to me. I don’t know. I’m just surprised, because you hear people talking about the old ball and chain, and people trying to recapture youth, as if that’s the impulse.”

12 Angelina Finally Finds Stability

Angelina has made it pretty clear that she never really had a stable upbringing or home life for that matters. Things weren’t always easy on her, and that’s why fans want to see her finally find some stability in 2019. Speaking about her first year as a solo mom, Angelina told People Magazine, “I have had my ups and downs. I guess I am a little bit stronger. We all have our difficult times, but as a mother, you also have a responsibility first and foremost towards the kids. They are going through their formative years and everything else comes second to that. We’ve all been a bit in lockdown and going through some things. I think it would be good to get out there and play together.”

11 The Parents Show Mutual Respect

It doesn’t matter if you are an ex-celebrity couple or two average people trying to make things work, everyone needs to show respect in order to make co-parenting work. At one point, Angelina definitely understood that. But at the same time, it’s not always easy cooperating with someone who you have ill feelings towards. According to People Magazine, Angelina has said, “Like every parent, when you start your family, your life completely changes. And you completely live for someone else. I find that the most extraordinary thing. Your life is handed over to someone else. From that moment on, they come first in every choice you make. It’s the most wonderful thing.”

10 More Freedom, Less Control

As of press time, it’s Angelina Jolie who basically controls every aspect of their children’s lives. Brad Pitt only gets to see the children when the court allows him to. For both parents, it’s been very challenging, as they try not to get into a tug-of-war over the kids. Angelina told the New York Times, “None of it’s easy. It’s very, very difficult, a very painful situation, and I just want my family healthy. They’re getting better… I never expect to be the one that everybody understands or likes. And that’s OK, because I know who I am, and the kids know who I am.”

9 Angie Gives Brad The Time He Deserves

Brad once said that he was willing to put his career on the backburner for his kids. These days though, he has all the time in the world as he barely gets to see them. Here’s hoping that Angelina gives Brad the time he deserves to be with their children. Brad once said, “I see an absolute shift from the day I started my family. And I think it’s because family – and certainly kids and a stable relationship – is something bigger than yourself. They need you to sit down with them, be there for them when they wake up in the middle of the night. They need you. So I think that made me less tense about things, less stressed.”

8 A New Holiday Schedule

While it doesn’t look like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will ever sit at the same dinner table to share a holiday meal together (although things can always change), here’s hoping that both parents get equal time with their kids during the calendar year. That means that they share their kids during all of the important holidays and better yet, even share some of that holiday spirit that you usually see during Christmas. After all, it’s the best time to bury the hatchet while remaining joyful about the future, right? Christmas is always a little more magical when you have two exes that can get along.

7 Hope That Brad And Angelina Talk It Out Themselves

Right now, all of the communication between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt is done through their lawyers. It would be great if these two could finally talk things out themselves, without the help of third parties, right? This way, they can show their kids that they can argue, and they can separate, but they can also work out their problems on their own. “I don’t believe in guilt; I believe in living on impulse as long as you never intentionally hurt another person. And don’t judge people in your life. I think you should live completely free,” Angelina once said, according to Us Weekly.

6 Less Travel, More Home Life

For years, Brad and Angie zig-zagged the world from one country to another, with their kids right next to them. It’s been an exhausting ride, to say the least. Even Angie has admitted that the traveling has taken a toll on her. Angelina once said, "We have more moments where I say, 'I'm going to be a better wife. I’m going to learn to cook.' and [Brad] says, 'Oh, honey, know what you're good at.' But I do like, 'No, no, no, I'm going to get this wife thing down.' He knows my limitations and where I'm a good wife and a good mom."

5 They Still 'Act' Like A Functional Family

A lot of people know that they can separate as a couple, but they can still act and function like a normal family, even if they are no longer married. It’s their family life that matters the most. Angie said in an interview, "We were fortunate enough to be in that unusual situation, we got married with our children and they were part of the ceremony. It was all of us agreeing to be together and to just commit to this life together. Not because we had to... because we were absolutely sure we felt that much of a family."

4 The Same Set Of Rules In Both Houses

In order for their co-parenting to work, they have to have the same set of rules in both houses. No one can make any exceptions. Brad insists that he was always the disciplinarian of their family. He once said in an interview, “I am with the boys. Girls do no wrong so I don’t have to be. I feel like my job is to show ’em around, help them find what they want to do with their life, put as many things in front of them, and pull them back when they get out of line, so they know who they are."

3 Working On Each Other's Needs

Regardless of what their feelings are now, here’s one thing that will never change: Brad and Angie will always be a part of each other’s lives. They have to continue working on each other’s needs. Angie told Vogue in 2007, "We spent a lot of time contemplating and thinking and talking about what we both wanted in life and realized that we wanted very, very similar things. And then we just continued to take time. We remained very, very good friends — with this realization — for a long time. And then life developed in a way where we could be together, where it felt like something we would do, we should do."

2 The Kids Don't Write Tell-All Books

While this would definitely make for juicy gossip in the future, here’s hoping that none of the Jolie-Pitt kids will end up writing tell-all books when they are older. By that time, hopefully, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s separation won’t be the headline-grabbing story that it is today. Instead, fans of the Hollywood family want to see the kids grow up both happy and healthy. And in order for that to happen, everyone must cooperate, not just one side or the other. The only secrets that they should be sharing with their fans are their acting tips and tricks – that’s it!

1 Brad And Angelina Finally Let Go Of The Past

While no one knows what is in store for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in their future, one thing is for certain: it sure is looking brighter than it did just a few years back. There is no more mudslinging and no more “he said, she said” reports in the media. Everyone is finally working together as a team, for the sake of the six Jolie-Pitt kids, and let’s hope that it stays that way. After all, both Angelina and Brad aren’t going anywhere, anytime soon. We will be seeing the kids growing up, both in and out of the spotlight, for years to come.

Source: people.com, usweekly.com, okmagazine.com, etonline.com, pagesix.com