Co-Parenting: Tips to Ensure that Your Kids are Healthy and Happy

Separation or divorce is never easy on kids. Parents can improve their children’s mental and physical health by implementing simple routines that will keep kids healthy and happy.

Kids are frequently caught in the middle of their parent’s separation or divorce. Unfortunately, this can impact negatively on their mental and physical health. However, it doesn’t have to have to be this way. It is possible, albeit difficult, for both parents to sit down and decide on healthy eating, exercise, access to the internet, and bedtime routines amongst others.

Our children’s physical and mental health

We live in a consumerist, throwaway society that discourages healthy living. It’s far easier to sit in front of our electronic devices and order fast food than it is to cook our own food using healthy, natural ingredients.

It is also a well-known fact that kids need consistent structure and routine as “routines give them a sense of security and help them develop self-discipline… Children’s fear of the unknown includes everything from a suspicious new vegetable to a major change in their life.”

We can, therefore, conclude that co-parented children need both parents to implement the same structure and routines. Here are some simple tips to help you negotiate structure and routines that suit both parents:

Eating Healthily

We may or may not realize it, but kids do what their parents do; ergo, if we eat healthy, nutritious food, then our kids are more likely to follow a nutritious diet. However, if they see us eating take-outs, then they will be inclined to refuse to eat properly and insist on eating take-outs as well.

It might take a bit of effort in order to transition from purchasing fast foods to cooking your own food; however, the results are worth the effort.

Exercise and outdoor living

The whole family will benefit from spending time outdoors every day. There are many activities, such as hiking, camping, swimming, sailing, and walking on the beach, that the whole family can participate in together.

Limit time in front of electronic devices

Children love to play computer games and can spend hours in front of their gaming devices, living in the fantasy world that the game provides. The positive and negative effects of playing PC games are well documented. “Many scientists and psychologists find that video games can actually have many benefits – the main one is making kids smart.  Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future.”

On the other hand, the American Psychological Association “concluded that there is a consistent correlation between violent game use and aggression.” Spending too much time in front of an electronic device can also socially isolate kids – why must they deal with uncontrollable real world issues when they can disappear into a world that they can control?

Final words

These are just a few of the many issues both parents will have to negotiate shared rules over. Stumbling blocks will pop up along the way. Both parents might be loath to negotiate with the other parent. They might also have new families, and new friends, making it challenging to find common ground with each other. Finally, this begs the question: How important is my children’s wellbeing to me?

Author bio: The article on divorce has been written by Ignacio D. Pena who is a very active blogger and loves to write in the legal niche.

Co-Parenting: Tips to Ensure that Your Kids are Healthy and Happy