The COVID-19 pandemic is creating challenges many of us were not prepared to face. For divorced parents, navigating this crisis is particularly tricky. You may be concerned about the health and safety of your children, struggling to comply with your custody order while adjusting to the changes in schedules, especially if you are an essential worker. The best you can do as co-parents is work together to overcome these obstacles, comply with your court order, and try to be flexible when necessary.
Navigating the Crisis Together
You and your former spouse are not only facing challenges as parents, but you are also likely facing personal obstacles, such as the loss of a job, having to homeschool your children, or coping with the lack of interaction due to the stay-at-home order. As such, your family is undoubtedly under lots of stress and, as time seems to drag on, tensions may run high.
If your situation is not an emergency, it is unlikely a court will hear your case, so if you are experiencing some co-parenting challenges, try to work them out first. If this fails, consult with an attorney to discuss your options. Even if your case cannot be heard now, your former spouse’s actions now may impact your custody arrangement in the future, especially if he or she refused to comply with the order.
Here are some tips for you and your co-parent to work through this crisis together:
- Try to keep all lines of communication open and respond to each other’s concerns as soon as you can.
- Do not try to keep score. You are a team; not opponents.
- When you are discussing an issue, focus on finding a solution rather than insisting on doing things your way.
- Take care of yourself by staying socially connected. Even though you cannot visit your friends, you can use video chatting services or call each other more often. Doing so will help combat stress and depression, which will help you as a parent.
- If you or your co-parent ends up spending less time with the children due to this crisis, set aside some time for them to reconnect and bond again once things go back to normal. Doing so will be greatly beneficial for your children and their parent.
We are all facing tough times, but we can work together to make it easier.
Contact Our Experienced Family Law Attorney for a Consultation Today!
If you are dealing with child custody issues in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, you should consult with an attorney to learn more about your options and the best course of action. At William Kirby, Family Law Attorney, our attorney is skilled in handling a variety of complex family law issues, including child custody. We understand how overwhelming and frustrating this situation is for you and your family and will do what we can to ease your burdens and protect your rights as a parent.
Reach out to our law office today at (215) 515-9901 to request a consultation.