Co-Parenting Tips during COVID 19

Co-Parenting Tips

Due to the recent events of COVID 19, our society is living through strange times right now. Therefore, it’s important to remember that some of the most affected people of this will be children. With that said, the impact of COVID 19 on a child going through a divorce can make this situation much more challenging. However, numerous states have put in place guidelines for parents who are sharing custody during this pandemic. Below are seven tips that parents can follow to help make their co-parenting smoother during this on-going crisis.

Remain Healthy

Parents need to comply with CDC regulations such as washing your hands, stay away from large crowds, wipe down all the surfaces in your home, and maintain social distancing as much as they can. Furthermore, this means you need to stay informed to make sure you’re getting your news from valid media sources and try not to get caught up in the rumors.

Be Mindful

Parents need to be honest about the seriousness of this situation with their children. However, their children shouldn’t be subjected to the news 24 hours because that can be overwhelming for the child. So, it’s essential to talk to your children at an age-appropriate level and ensure you let them know that things will return to normal at some point.

Be Compliant

Parents should be compliant with any or all court orders and custody agreements as much as possible.  It’s critical for parents to hold onto the situation that you have in your current timesharing and custody arrangements. Staying compliant means that if you have a set schedule, try and follow that as closely as you can. In many states, they have implemented the start of virtual school, so it’s important to follow the guidelines that states have implemented and maintain a new healthy routine for your child.

Be Creative

It’s impossible to expect nothing will change when people are amid this pandemic. Parents will be losing their jobs, and that is a painful reality to think about during this time. Moreover, other parents will be working hours they never expected. During this time, plans are going to have to change. Parents will need to encourage closeness with their children when they are not within their parent sharing time. There are multiple apps out there that parents can use, such as Facetime, Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, and house party, which you can download, that way you can keep up with your child and they can keep up with you. There are great resources out there where you can take virtual tours of museums, zoos, or an underwater aquarium. It’s important to stay connected with your kids, even if you can’t be there with them in person.

Be Transparent

Provide honest information to the other parent. If you’re not with your child, make sure you’re communicating with the other parent if there has been any exposure to the virus. Then, if you have your children with you, and they start showing signs of any exposure, contact the other parent and keep them advised on what is going on.

Be Generous

Try to provide make-up time to the parent who is missing out. Keep in mind that at some point, you will eventually be in front of a judge. Therefore, you want to make sure you have been reasonable in all of your attempts in timesharing.

Be Understanding

Remember, there is no blueprint for COVID 19, and we haven’t seen a pandemic of this magnitude in our lifetime. If you’re the paying parent of child support, try to make those payments as much as possible because the other parent is going to be relying on that. If you’re the parent that is receiving the child support payments, be understanding that it’s possible that based on the economy, making those payments will be very difficult and challenging for a lot of families. With that said, the parents need to be understanding and talk to each other.

In Summary

The adversary we’re facing right now is an opportunity for parents to come together and exhibit great co-parenting skills. Your children will remember how this incident and this pandemic was dealt with. Give them the chance to become better human beings by following the example that you and your spouse displayed. For a lot of children, this strange time is going to stay as vivid memories, and they will look back on those memories as they grow up. Every child must know their parents have done the best job they can, and that both parents have done everything they can to explain what was happening and keep their children safe. If you believe you may need a divorce, our well informed Orlando divorce attorneys will be the best solution for you.

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