It’s hard enough co-parenting without a national emergency, but now we are in the midst of one. The COVID-19 crisis is affecting all areas of life, not least of which includes  parenting time  and co-parenting. Here is a brief discussion of how this crisis could incidentally impact co-parent and tips on how parents can work together in a time of uncertainty.

Parenting time is something we cherish. When it’s our time to have the kids, we rejoice. When it’s time for the other parent to have the child, we can have various emotions: relief to get some things done and sadness because you’ll miss the days when laughter and shouting don’t fill the home. The coronavirus can upset this cycle of give-and-take, which can have an impact on the time spent with the child and an impact on emotions already unsettled.

The primary means that COVID-19 affects parenting time is if one of the family members acquires the illness. He or she may have to self-quarantine or may have to be hospitalized. If it’s a parent who has become sick, then he or she may want to limit or stop altogether in-person contact with the child so as to avoid the child getting sick or carrying the virus and causing others to get sick. This will no doubt eat into your parenting time.

Another way that parenting time can be affected is if vulnerable persons are living in the house. For example, you may not want your child around grandparents, especially if your child hangs out a lot outside the home – whether that’s school, school-related activities, or other reasons.

The important thing to remember is this COVID-19 crisis will pass. So even if you are not spending as much time with a child now, you can make up for it later – after the risks have come and gone.

Children sense things. Even when parents haven’t talked to them directly about the crisis – they hear things, they feel it in the air, and they can see it. Children are fully experiencing this COVID-19 crisis and may not know how to process or respond to it. If you are co-parenting it is more important than ever that you work together and assume a unified front. Here are some tips to do this.

Keep in mind that it is truly in the child’s best interest to work together during this time. If you can do these things during a crisis, then who knows, maybe after the crisis is gone, you can continue to co-parent in a more meaningful and respectful way.

In the meantime, we at Veliz Katz Law wish you kindness, safety, and good health during this time. Always feel free to  contact us  if you have any questions about co-parenting in the greater Orlando FL metro area.