Tips for Divorced Parents for Coparenting During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in some massive changes to many people’s everyday lives. Now, with children across the country off of school, there are even more coparenting challenges for divorced parents to deal with than usual.

There is a complicated balance to maintain during the pandemic between keeping everyone safe but also honoring the custody agreement to the fullest extent possible. Here’s a quick overview of some tips provided by a couple legal organizations for coparenting during the pandemic.

• Stay healthy and informed: It is crucial for parents to model good sanitary behavior for their children, including washing hands, sanitizing surfaces and frequently touched objects and following all social distancing protocols. Only take in news from reliable sources, and avoid social media rumors and chain messages.
• Comply with court orders: You still need to comply with court orders and custody agreements. Even though the circumstances are unusual, you should try as much as possible to avoid making changes to custody, just to avoid arguments and challenges later on. It is also important for the children to still spend quality time with each parent.
• Be honest but careful: It is important for children to be aware of the seriousness of the pandemic, but they do not need to be exposed to constant updates, conversations or news stories on television that could unnecessarily frighten or worry them. Answer questions truthfully, but keep everything at an age-appropriate level.
• Make up missed time: As much as you should try to comply with your existing agreements, there are going to have to be some tweaks to account for changing work and school situations. Try to make up the time for the parent who missed out when possible.
• Assume the best: The pandemic is going to cause a lot of anxiety and economic hardship, so it is important to be understanding of the other parent’s situation.

For more information about navigating the pandemic as a divorced parent, contact an experienced Long Island divorce attorney at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates today.