Talk about stress!
Even in the best of circumstances, single parenting, divorce, and blended families present a myriad of challenges most of us would rather avoid.
But when you are the child and you have asthma and allergies, you don’t care about which parent is right or wrong, good or bad, rich or poor. You want a loving family - people who put aside their differences to focus on your health needs.
It really doesn’t matter who did what or doesn’t want to pay for whatever. You have a child for which you share custody or responsibility so your first duty is to this child.
What does it take to raise a child with allergies and asthma?
- Families who care enough to consult with an allergy and asthma specialist who will help both families develop a treatment strategy.
- Parents who put aside their selfish or emotional needs (such as owning a pet(s) to which the child is known to be allergic).
- Parents who commit to raising the child in a smoke-free environment.
- Parents who support the emotional and physical development of the child without undermining each other.
- Parents who address symptoms early rather than force the child to endure them for the purpose of character building ("If I survived, you can too." This mentality is just plain uninformed and dangerous.).
- Parents who do not argue about the child’s health needs in front of him.
You and your ex have made a decision to part company but your child cannot change his parents. Focus your energy on positive outcomes and your child will be healthier both physically and emotionally.
