It is switching time for the children and you are at your X’s to pick up your children. The times typically negotiated for parenting switched always seems to be around dinner. Everyone is hungry, stressed and tempers are likely to fly. They forget something and you have to turn around and go back. Your children start quibbling in the back seat and you shout at them. Sound familiar? While this will not always be the case it will happen on occasion.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have ways to smooth out these times?
Over the next few weeks I will be posting some great tips to help you and your children through this stressful time.
The most effective way to keep everybody calm is to have some great snacks in the car or as I call it Traveling Food
- When the kids are in the car give them a snack. An apple, cheese stick, grapes or granola bar will help balance their blood sugar and make them feel less stressed during the transition. Nothing large enough that it will spoil their appetite for dinner but enough to make them feel comfortable.
- Eating will also give them something to do so that if you have more than one child it will minimize the time they have to get on each other’s nerves.
- Dinner can then not have to be on the table in ten minutes after you step through the door. Everyone will be able to breathe a sigh of relief and not feel so rushed. This will make this time more enjoyable for everyone, including the parents.
So what do you do to keep your children on an even keel during transitions?
While a snack may seem like common sense to some of you it is not obvious to everyone. Adding language into your parenting agreement or property settlement agreement about trying to smooth out this time for the kids is a great idea. Pass this idea along to your divorce lawyer.