Healthier Choices

How you divorce can effect the future health of your children!

I have witnessed firsthand the emotional trauma caused by separation and divorce on my family law clients. That’s the reason I created the kitchentabledivorce.ca support group, with the help and assistance of my spouse.

However there’s another affected group often overlooked by parents and professionals alike, the children of divorced and separating parents. Just how affected are these children?

Shockingly, according to a recently released Canadian report, these children are much more likely to suffer, as adults, from serious, adverse health conditions, such as strokes.

To date there is no explanation for such startling results. Although, some researchers have suggested that the emotional and psychological shock caused to the children of divorce somehow impairs their body’s ability to handle stress, predisposing them to develop stress related diseases as adults.

So what’s the message for separating and divorcing parents?

As readers of this blog know well, I have always advocated exploring lower stress, (and cost) alternatives, such as family mediation, or collaborative divorce, as the preferred first choice, before resorting to adversarial court proceedings.

But just as importantly, even after the legal dust has cleared, parents need to put their differences aside, establish a co-operative parenting plan, and focus on their children’s long term best interests.

Just consider it making healthier choices for your children!