The impact of COVID-19 has affected the entire country. Stay at home orders are enforced in nearly every state, forcing families to stay inside and avoid contact with anyone not in their household. This has impacted the economy and disrupted everyday life for millions.
With the corona virus, co-parents are having to face many challenges that they couldn’t foresee. Spilt custody is not as easy now as it once was. Co-parents must decide if split time should continue as normal, fearing that both parents and children could be exposed, or if the child should remain with one parent until the virus has subsided. This leaves parents in a difficult position.
An unknown time
No one could have foreseen the long-lasting quarantine that we are in now. Parents and their lawyers could not have planned for this because nothing like this has happened since 1918. This only leads to confusion and uncertainty for parents.
We don’t know when life will resume, but you can make the best plan for your family. If you and your co-parent decide to continue split time, do so with health as your number one priority.
Staying connected from afar
It can be draining to distance yourself from your family. Split custody is difficult under these circumstances, but parents are finding ways to stay connected with their kids. Even though you’re apart, video chat apps, like FaceTime or Zoom, are great ways to hang out with your children. You can watch tv or play video games together through those apps.
The yearning to see your child off screen becomes stronger as this quarantine drags on. Scheduling walks, while keeping the recommended six feet apart, is a great way to see your child off screen. However, keep in mind that the World Health Organization suggests that you wear masks and gloves outside. They also suggest that you avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
Even though we’re forced to stay away from our family, we can find ways to interact and make each other smile. This is unfamiliar and hard for co-parents, but we can choose to focus on the positive during this time. Your children are just a FaceTime away.
